


Porco's

by SpinachArtichokeDitz



Category: Rune Factory 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drama & Romance, F/M, General Debauchery, Leon is a sexy bartender, M/M, Shameless Smut, everyone drinks a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26148748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpinachArtichokeDitz/pseuds/SpinachArtichokeDitz
Summary: *Explicit chapters are tagged with plenty of warnings if you'd like to avoid them.*If you don't want to see all of your favorite RF4 characters bastardized in a modern day AU setting, turn away now. The rest of you, cuddle around and let me tell you a story about Porcoline's dive bar and restaurant, where Leon is a bartender and everyone drinks too much.
Relationships: Arthur/Margaret (Rune Factory), Doug/Dylas (Rune Factory), Frey/Leon (Rune Factory)
Comments: 84
Kudos: 47





	1. Mojito

**Author's Note:**

> Me: I've almost finished my Leon x Frey trilogy. I've pretty much done everything I can do with them.
> 
> Other Me: What about an alternate universe fic?
> 
> Me: But I don't even really like AU fics...
> 
> Other Me: Imagine how much fun Leon would have with a cell phone.
> 
> Me: Goddamnit. *writes entire first chapter in one night*
> 
> SPECIAL THANKS to Beththeawkward, Rosaline, and YuseiFudo44 for their input on this! Especially Rosaline, because I took right off with your part-time bartender idea and this story just flew from my fingertips. I don't know if I would have jumped into this if not for your thoughtful responses, lovely readers, so thank you!

"Aren't you done with that yet?" he asked impatiently. He nudged his grouchy coworker with his hip, only because he knew how much he hated it. "You worry too much about how the food looks. They're drunk. I promise you they're not going to give it a second glance before they shove it down their pie holes."

"Fuck off, Leon. I don't tell you how to do your job. I'll have it out in a second," the purple-haired man said, threatening him with a sharp elbow. "Go make your little cocktails."

He laughed heartily as he sauntered back through the kitchen door and into the bar area, feeling light on his feet. Porco's was a casual, popular little dive bar and restaurant, the first place their boss had bought before he expanded his empire. He owned several much more extravagant venues all around town, but this place hadn't changed much since it opened ten years ago.

Friday nights were the best. Most of the customers were regulars that he had known for years, and serving them barely felt like work, especially after how stressful the first half of his day always was. He had been here for five years and had put himself through college and started his career during that time, so it felt like a second home.

"Hey, Leo! Another round!"

"Be right there," he called, instantly knowing who they were and what they wanted without even glancing over. He quickly assembled two old fashioneds, overdoing the garnish on purpose, and delivered them at the far end of the wooden bar.

"Goddamn it, Leon. What am I supposed to do with all this fruit?" the burly man asked, shaking his head. He grabbed a fork and picked several cherries and slices of orange out of his glass before taking a sip.

"It's good for you, Bado. Unlike this." He leaned across the bar and swiped the newly lit cigarette from his lips, taking a long drag.

"I thought you quit!" Bado exclaimed, grabbing at him.

"I did. I thought _you_ quit," Leon replied, smashing the butt of the cigarette in an ashtray before he could reclaim it.

"I did!"

"For what, a few hours? Stop being a bad influence."

Bado's blond stepson laughed and happily sipped his whiskey, although it was obvious he didn't enjoy the taste. He was probably trying to put hair on his chest, or if you asked his older sister, Leon was the reason he drank at all. He was soft spoken but quick witted, barely of age, and he definitely would've carded him if he didn't already know him.

"Quit your snickering, Kiel. I don't need both of ya laughing at my expense," Bado said glumly, scratching his greying beard.

"How are your classes going?" Leon asked, eyeing the blond curiously. They had similar interests so it was always good to talk to him about school and work, which usually bored Bado half to death.

"Great! Literary theory is my favorite course so far."

"I knew you'd like that one, as much as you already love to read. It's helpful to learn to view texts from different perspectives."

"Leo! Can you see what's taking that horse face so long?" an annoyed voice interrupted. The red headed man at the other side of the bar was of small stature, but definitely didn't fall short on attitude. 

"Don't let him hear you, Doug. He might add an extra ingredient to your plate," Leon said as he headed toward him, wiping the bar down with a rag as he went.

"Too late," Dylas interjected, pushing through the kitchen door with two plates in hand. He handed them to Leon even though Doug was closer to him. "I heard you, shorty, but I have too much integrity to tamper with your food."

"Really? I'm right here," Doug said, rolling his eyes and sighing with exasperation. "Too scared to face me?"

"Come on, you two," Leon chirped as he set the meals on the bar in front of Doug. As usual, they were plated immaculately, more due to Dylas being insecure than a perfectionist. "Let's not cause a scene. Kiss and make up."

Dylas furrowed his lavender brows sharply and leveled him with an icy glare before disappearing back into the kitchen, his safe haven. He shouldered the swinging doors so hard that they swung back and forth multiple times before finally coming to a rest.

"Who's with you tonight, Doug?" Leon asked, unphased. He glanced around. It wasn't possible to see all of the tables from there. "Did you bring your granny again?"

"Hey, she asked me to," Doug blushed, picking up the plates. "She likes it here. You try saying no to her."

"I say no to her all the time, like when she sidles up to the bar and asks for a second gin and tonic," he said disingenuously, clearing empty glasses from the bar.

"What!? She's way too old to be drinking like that," Doug replied, mouth agape, before realization dawned on his face. "Oh, you're messing with me. Geez, don't worry me like that."

"Tell Blossom I said hello," he responded with a grin, spotting another regular out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed a beer out of the cooler and popped the cap in one smooth movement, sliding it across the bar as they sat down.

His phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket and he sighed wearily when he glimpsed the text message.

_Come see me when you get off work ;)_

He was starting to feel bad about ignoring her, and he felt even worse when he acknowledged the reason _why_ he was ignoring her. She simply didn't interest or excite him intellectually. She was a pretty face that he was seeing very casually, nothing more, and he knew he had to break it off. He wasn't in the right headspace. He might not ever be again.

"You okay? You looked lost for a minute, there."

He snapped his head up to see Meg standing before him, all dressed up for her performance that night. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back, embellished with an assortment of braids. Half of the place was staring at her and he hadn't even noticed her walk around to his side of the bar, he had been so deep in his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I know the anniversary is coming up… I'm always here if you need to talk," she said softly, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks."

"By the way, I have a friend coming. She's new to town and I'm trying to get her out there and introduce her to people. None of the other girls could make it tonight, so basically what I'm saying is… be nice to her, please!" She clasped her hands together in front of her and hit him with puppy dog eyes.

"Hey, I am always nice." 

"Like you were when I first introduced you to Forte?" The puppy dog eyes quickly narrowed into a glare.

"Forte is a special case. She practically begs to be teased. It would be wrong of me not to."

"Leo, I don't even know how to respond to that," she replied, sighing and rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I'm a little worried about the new girl being all alone at night in an unfamiliar place, so please keep an eye on her? I know you'll be busy, but… if you see anyone messing with her, let me know, all right? I'll deck 'em."

"Nobody here is going to bother her. Is she going to come find me or do I need to watch the door?"

"She'll find you. All I told her is that you're the bartender and you're cute."

" _Cute_? Meg, I'm offended."

"If I told her much more, she might be too intimidated to show up," she laughed.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked, leaning against the bar and raising a brow.

"Ugh, nevermind. I've got to finish getting ready," she said, starting to walk away. "Oh! And you can't miss her. She has gorgeous green eyes and hair to match."

* * *

Her boots crunched on the gravel when she hopped out of the taxi. The nights were growing cooler and she wrapped her coat more tightly around herself as she approached the unassuming building. A large sign on the front said _Porco's_ in neon cursive.

The parking lot was packed and she thought that if she had driven here herself, she would have definitely had trouble finding a place to park. She wasn't sure if it was always this busy or if Meg drew this kind of crowd on her own.

She felt somewhere between anxious and excited as she pushed the door open, and there were already more patrons trailing in behind her. As anticipated, it was loud. The band was tuning up their instruments and endless chatter was going on around her.

She scanned the room as best she could, being rather petite and having trouble seeing over the tops of so many heads. Eventually, she worked her way through and spotted the bar in the back with a large wrap around counter. The smallish stage was nearby and not far off the floor, settled back in the corner and surrounded by lights, giving it an intimate feel.

When she pushed her way up to the bar, all of the stools were full, but she managed to squeeze her way into a spot in the middle, noticing the bartender instantly. Meg had used the word _cute_ to describe him and it was so far off base that she almost laughed out loud. Exotic was more appropriate. He was striking.

As busy as it was, he would probably take a long time to notice her, so she just observed him as covertly as possible, squished between two strangers who were paying no mind to her. It was embarrassingly hard to take her eyes off of him. He had impossibly azure eyes that contrasted dramatically with his tanned skin, and light blue hair that hung loosely down to his waist.

His attire was appropriately casual for his surroundings, simply well-worn jeans and a black tank that didn't leave much of his torso to the imagination; she could clearly see that he was lithe and muscular. His entire left arm was decorated with an elaborate, colorful dragon tattoo. She glimpsed a single golden earring, a helix piercing, glinting in his left ear when he brushed his hair back over his shoulders.

He was laughing at someone's comment when his eyes scanned the bar and landed on her with something akin to recognition. She felt a blush creeping up her neck and she struggled to ignore it as he moved to stand in front of her, towering over her head.

"Hi! I'm Frey. Nice to meet you. You must be Leon?" she greeted cheerfully before she lost her nerve, hoping her voice didn't sound as shaky as it felt. Having those intense eyes aimed directly at her was mesmerizing.

"No, but he's around here somewhere. I'm just filling in for a minute," he replied casually, pouring a shot of vodka and passing it to another patron.

"Oh. That's funny, you look exactly like how Meg described Leon," she said without missing a beat, trying to keep a straight face.

"Pfft. Way to ruin my fun. She said she didn't tell you anything," he replied, smirking down at her.

"She didn't," she giggled with a satisfied grin, having successfully called his bluff.

"My, my. Aren't you a cheeky little thing?" he responded, widening his eyes at her. "I think you're just fine by yourself. So what would you like to drink?"

"I don't know, I don't drink much. Just give me whatever you feel like making."

"Come on, now. I can't pick your poison for you," he drawled. He crossed his arms on top of the counter and leaned toward her. "What do you like?"

"Umm…" It was impossible to form a coherent thought with him so close.

"Actually, you look like a girl who appreciates a good mojito," he said abruptly, straightening up.

"Huh? Why do you think that?" she asked curiously, tilting her head.

"They're a pain in the ass to make, and you seem like a handful," he answered impishly.

"Hey! You've known me for what, two minutes?" She scowled at him as she quickly slid onto the stool that her neighbor had just vacated.

"I've been doing this for a long time and I meet all types of people. I know trouble when I see it," he said with a wink.

"You know what? I think I will have a mojito, actually."

"Ha, I thought you'd say that," he replied with a dramatic sigh. "I guess I brought this upon myself. You better not run off after I put all my effort into it."

He turned away and she took a deep breath, wishing she already had a drink to sip on. He seemed like the type of person that always kept you on your toes, and she wasn't used to being around anyone so intense. It excited her almost as much as it unnerved her, especially being in a new environment at the same time.

When he returned, he set the pretty drink down in front of her gingerly. It was garnished with lime wedges and mint, and although she resented the 'handful' comment, it actually looked right up her alley as far as taste went.

"So you've really never had one before?"

"I told you I'm not a drinker," she replied, taking a careful sip. The fizzy, minty lime flavor burst across her tongue. "Um, this is actually really good."

"Great, so I guess I'll be making them for you all the time now."

"Who said I'm coming back?"

"Meg and her friends are here almost every weekend. You'll be back."

As if right on cue, Meg walked on stage, and the place erupted with cheers. It was impossible to hold a conversation at this point, and Leon had several other people motioning for service now, anyway.

She shifted her attention to the stage and Meg took the microphone confidently, launching into a tune that apparently everyone there was familiar with. She had a bassist and a guitarist at either side of her, with a drummer in the back, and their unique blend of pop rock quickly engulfed the building.

Twice she made the mistake of glancing over at Leon, and both times he caught her gaze, awarding her with an indecipherable half smile before returning to his task. He was probably right. She would be back, if only to learn more about him.


	2. Daiquiri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So Meg sent the new girl as a sacrificial offering." He couldn't help but tease Frey as he noticed her squeezed in at the end of the counter. "Come here, then. Let me take a look at you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still world building so this is going slowly, but it's going to pick up soon if y'all want more. I'm just having fun with it.

Friday night had been busy, but Saturday night was a madhouse. As fast as he was, it wasn't possible to cover the entire bar on his own, so he was glad that Dolce was working alongside him. She was broody but quick on her feet, always dressed to the nines in a gothic ensemble, and the customers loved her despite her dislike for idle chit chat.

He knew Vishnal was up front, though he had yet to see him that night, probably fretting over table arrangements and dust on the windowsills that no one else would ever notice. He was a perfectionist if Leon ever knew one, always striving to improve something, but he was banned from the kitchen. Clorica, who was legitimately narcoleptic and sweet as pie, was usually working alongside him.

And then there was Volkanon, their resident bouncer, who had been there since Porco's had first opened. He rarely ever had to take action--his brawny appearance, alone, seemed to ward off any unpleasant behavior. He was an emotional man and, every time Leon happened to glimpse him during one of Meg's performances, he was crying openly.

"Hanging in there, Dolly? Not too rusty after your vacation, are you?" Leon asked, placing a beer into a customer's waiting hand before leaning on the counter next to her.

"I'm holding my own. You can even take a break if you want," she replied flatly. She didn't bother to glance up from the cocktail she was deftly assembling.

"Maybe I will, then. Be back in a sec." 

He had seen Meg's little entourage snag a table in the corner a few minutes ago. Meg wasn't with them just yet, since she was finishing up her shift. She worked as a waitress on nights she didn't perform, like she had done for years.

As he approached the table, he noticed that even Forte was there, which was a rare occurrence lately. She had recently become a cop and didn't spare much time for their shenanigans anymore. There was also Amber, who was so full of energy and optimism that it made his head hurt, and clumsy little Xiao Pai was with them, too.

She was the daughter of his landlord, Lin Fa, so he ran into her often--literally and figuratively. Just last week she had crashed into him so hard, coming around the corner from the elevator, that he sat with her for a few minutes to make sure she didn't have a concussion.

Frey, the one Meg had asked him to keep an eye on the night before, was present as well. He didn't quite know what to think of her, yet, just that she was fun to talk to and easy on the eyes. It might even be more entertaining to tease her than Forte, with that enticing blush.

He always got a kick out of the girls' reactions when they first noticed him. Forte typically glared daggers at him, as she was now. The others appeared happy to see him, but always displayed a touch of nervousness, probably wondering who his first target would be.

Frey was different, though. She smiled at him openly, meeting his eyes and warming him like a ray of sunshine. She was naive to his tendencies as of yet, so he was curious how that would change over time, but he hoped she would keep smiling like that. 

"I thought I sensed a disturbance over here. Look at all of you." He stood next to the table and gazed down at them with mock disapproval, clucking his tongue.

"And with a new addition! Have you met Frey yet?" Amber cheerfully motioned to her.

"Yes, we're already well acquainted," he replied, shifting his gaze to Frey. Her long, mint colored hair was loose about her shoulders tonight, framing her pixie-like face. She was looking at him almost expectantly.

"And you still came back, Frey?" Forte interjected.

"You always come back, also, Forte," Xiao Pai commented.

"I think it's only because Meg makes her." Amber had a thoughtful expression on her innocent face.

"It's because she can't resist my frozen daiquiris." He smirked and stared down at the miffed blonde. "Extra sweet, right, Forte?"

She glowered at him without comment, like she usually did now when she was tired of dealing with him. It had taken her a while, but she had unfortunately figured out that if she just stopped responding, he would quickly get bored and move on. Kind of like playing dead when faced with a hungry bear.

"How about a round of martinis to start, Leo," Meg chirped, suddenly appearing and claiming the last empty chair at the table. She sank into it wearily. "Phew, that was a crazy shift."

"Dirty?" he asked suggestively.

"Always," she laughed, then turned her attention to the girls. "I'm so glad all of you could make it! Hope this isn't too overwhelming for you, Frey."

"No, not at all. I'm enjoying meeting everyone," she replied, smiling brightly.

"Good! I'm so glad." Meg clapped her hands together. "Now let's get this party started."

* * *

"How long have you worked here, Meg?" Frey asked curiously, tearing her eyes away from Leon as he headed back to the bar.

"On and off since I turned 16. My dad is actually the owner," Meg replied. "He's not here very often. He has several other businesses around town, and this is by far the smallest. He entrusted the daily operations to Arthur, who's the manager here. If I see him, I'll introduce you to him, too."

"Oh, wow. I think I've heard about your dad before. Porcoline Saint…?"

"Right! Porcoline Saint-Coquille. He's kind of a dad to everyone who works for him." Meg's smile was proud.

"He's a very kind person," Xiao Pai added.

"It's rare for someone so influential to be as selfless as he is," Forte agreed, smiling softly and readjusting her ponytail.

"I've always heard good things about him, even living outside of town."

"You lived in the country, right? On a farm?" Meg asked.

"Yeah, since I was born. Just my mom and me. She still lives there, but I moved here for work."

"Aww, I bet you miss her." Amber's tone was sympathetic.

"I do, but thankfully she's only an hour away by train. I'm sure I'll go visit her at least every couple of weeks."

"So what do you do for work, Frey?" Forte asked as Leon returned with their tray of drinks.

No sooner had he set the drinks down than a pair of feminine arms wrapped around him from behind, and he furrowed his brows and looked over his shoulder. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt as they all peered around him, trying to determine what was happening.

"You never answered me at all yesterday. I was starting to worry about you," the mysterious woman hissed, looking perturbed when he turned to face her. She was tall, though Leon still had a foot on her, and had shoulder length black hair and blue eyes. 

"Let's talk outside," was all he said, and then he took the mystery woman's hand and led her through the back door.

"Uh oh. Leon's in trouble again," Meg giggled, shaking her head and taking a sip of her martini.

"This happens often?" Frey tried not to sound as curious as she actually was. She took a drink and then fiddled with the cocktail pick.

"Pretty often," Amber nodded, popping an olive into her mouth.

"Where do all of these women come from? I can't believe he can even find _one_ who will tolerate him for any length of time." Forte scoffed as she lifted her glass to her lips.

"I think you're the only woman who wouldn't give him the time of day, Forte," Meg laughed. "He has a new one every month or so."

"Don't tell me _you_ would, Meg," the blonde responded with a look of disgust.

"No, I've known him for so long that he's almost like family to me. But you have to admit he's nice to look at."

"I can't get past his personality long enough to even notice."

"Ever since he became friends with Kiel, you've had it out for him."

"Well, of course. Kiel is young and impressionable, and ever since Bado started bringing him here, he's practically idolized Leon."

"I remember the week he tried to dress like him." Amber giggled into her drink. "I wish I had taken a picture."

"I'm glad you didn't," Forte growled. "And that wasn't even the worst part. He started trying to talk like him and pull pranks, too. It was awful."

"Oh my god, I'm sorry, but that whole phase was hysterical." Meg threw her head back as she laughed. "He was like Leon's awkward little sidekick."

"Who's Kiel?" Frey asked, taking another sip of her martini and glancing at the back door.

"My brother," Forte skewered an olive. "My _highly_ impressionable little brother."

"If I can play devil's advocate for a moment, he has actually been a positive influence on Kiel." Xiao Pai's expression was thoughtful. "They are both into literature and part of the reason Kiel began studying literary theory is because of Leon."

"True. I guess I'll give him that," Forte said reluctantly, finishing her drink.

"Ooh, she's coming back in! Try not to stare," Amber whispered, gray eyes wide.

"Wow, she looks mad." Frey covertly watched her stomp by and exit through the front door. It slammed shut behind her and several of the other customers looked around before shrugging and going about their business.

"Whew." Meg widened her eyes and bit her lip. "Yeah, she is not happy."

The back door opened and they all turned to look, not bothering to disguise it now. Leon appeared no worse for the wear as he returned to their table, but he glowered when he noticed all of their curious eyes upon him.

"Ready for another round, huh?" he asked, starting to gather their empty glasses.

"Uh-uh, you're not getting off that easily. Tell us what happened," Meg pried, leaning toward him eagerly.

"Long or short version?" He crossed his arms with exaggerated irritation.

"Short," Forte blurted.

"You're no fun," Meg complained, nudging her under the table.

"She turned out to be a succubus. It was fun in the beginning, but I need sleep." His demeanor was stoic.

"Ugh, I should have specified that we want the _real_ story," Meg huffed.

"I broke up with her," he replied simply, brushing his hair back into place over his shoulders.

"Why?" Amber leaned forward, looking intrigued.

"Sorry, that's all I can tell you. Forte requested the short version."

"Leon… I think you've got a little something on your neck," Xiao Pai noticed, handing him a cocktail napkin.

"Is that lipstick?" Meg laughed incredulously. "I thought you broke up with her!"

"Well not before she got her claws into me," he chuckled, accepting the napkin and scrubbing at his neck. "If you're done making fun of me, I'll bring you another round."

"You're blushing! I think I've seen you blush once in the last _year_ ," Meg gasped, digging in her purse. "Damn it, where's my phone? I need a picture."

"Looks like you have to come get your own drinks now." He sighed dramatically. "And here I was being nice. You know I don't do tableside service normally."

"Aww, Meg, you ruined it for us," Amber pouted, crossing her arms.

"I need to get back to helping Dolly, anyway, before she curses me. See you ladies later."

"Well, I guess one or two of us will have to go to the bar," Meg sighed as Leon retreated. "Do you mind, girls? My feet are killing me."

"I'll go," Frey volunteered, standing and smoothing her shirt.

"And I'll help!" Amber chirped, hopping up beside her. "I'm going to run to the bathroom first and I'll be right there."

* * *

He offered Dolce a break as soon as he was behind the bar again, deciding he owed her one. She had stared at him rather judgmentally after the scene he had caused earlier. She always kept her private affairs much more, well, private.

Customer after customer approached the bar and he fell into a comfortable rhythm. It was almost meditative. He appreciated the distraction from his thoughts; it was impossible to dwell on anything when his mind was so busy keeping track of orders and ingredients.

"So Meg sent the new girl as a sacrificial offering." He couldn't help but tease Frey as he noticed her squeezed in at the end of the counter. "Come here, then. Let me take a look at you."

Her bright green eyes widened and the blush that dusted her cheeks was positively endearing. He almost felt bad for embarrassing her. Almost.

"Just kidding," he chuckled, smiling down at her. "Did you think I was serious?"

"No, of course not." She rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Meg says that Forte won't admit it, but she really wants a frozen daiquiri."

"Not at all surprising. What else?"

"Just cosmos for the rest of us," Amber chimed in, popping up seemingly out of nowhere. 

"No mojito tonight?" he asked Frey, pulling glasses from the rack overhead.

"You look busy so I thought I'd make it easy."

"Ha, well aren't you sweet. No one ever takes mercy on me like that."

He turned around to grab vodka and triple sec, then reached into the cooler for cranberry juice and limes. He quickly mixed the cosmopolitans and then, from the freezer, he pulled a premade daiquiri that was truly his best creation of the night.

"Umm, Leon… are frozen daiquiris supposed to be _this_ frozen?" Frey squeaked as he set it down in front of her. The glass and its contents were practically a solid hunk of ice.

"Hey, I'm the bartender, here." He leaned forward and gazed at her convincingly. "Are you trying to say I don't know how to do my job? Just give it to Forte for me, please. Quickly, so I can watch."

"Oh, geez. What if she directs her anger at me? She's kind of scary when she gets mad." Frey shivered. 

"Don't you worry. I'm positive she'll direct it _all_ at me." He wrapped the glass in several paper towels to keep her from hurting her hands.

"Leo," Amber scolded. "One day she's going to arrest you just because she can."

"And I wholeheartedly look forward to that day," he grinned. "Now go on."

There was an outburst of laughter as Frey sheepishly presented the frozen concoction to Forte, and as expected, the recipient was the only one who was unamused. If looks could kill, the one the blonde shot him from across the room would have struck him dead that instant. And it would have been worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Google search history definitely thinks I'm an alcoholic sex addict. I'm always searching for stuff like "other words for *insert body part here*" and now add various cocktails on top of that. It's all for research, I swear!
> 
> Geez. Anyways, would be happy to hear your thoughts, lovely readers.


	3. Caution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's fine, I get it. You mistook me for just another pretty face." He eyed her steadily with a teasing smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having way too much fun with this story. I think I'll drag it out for a while.

Frey had officially fallen in love with her new little house. It was just on the outskirts of town with plenty of space for a garden in the back, although she wasn't sure when she would have time to start on it. She would have to wait until spring to break ground, anyway.

She admired the fresh green paint as she rolled her bicycle out of the garage and began the short one mile ride to the local farmer's market for groceries. The main reason she had chosen this house was its proximity to the downtown area, which was more like a large square than anything. It was central to the town and most of the larger businesses and public attractions were situated there.

The fall wind was brisk and she was glad she had chosen to wear plenty of layers that morning. Thankfully the sky was sunny and clear, though, and the ride was pleasant. It left her feeling happy and energized as she hopped off her bike and rolled it into the rack nearest the market. There were already several parked there since a considerable amount of people commuted to work that way.

"We just met and you're already following me around."

Her head snapped up and she looked in the direction of the familiar voice. To say she was surprised at what she saw would be a massive understatement. Leon stood several feet in front of her and his appearance was much more polished than she had become accustomed to in the few weeks she had known him. He wore a crisp navy button down shirt, which was neatly rolled up at the elbows, along with black dress pants. Even his long hair was tied back neatly, lending him a more professional air.

"Maybe _you_ were following me. Why are you dressed so nicely? Are you going to an interview?" She lifted her small blue purse from the basket of her bike and swung it over her shoulder, then stepped up onto the sidewalk next to him.

"I do have a day job, you know. I only work at Porco's three nights per week," he replied, the corner of his mouth tilting up ever so slightly.

"Oh? What do you do?" She was intensely curious but tried not to make it obvious.

"Guess."

"Um… geez, I don't know. I can't really imagine you doing something serious enough to require a button down shirt. Sorry, no offense." She grinned and shrugged, tucking her windswept green hair behind her ears.

"It's fine, I get it. You mistook me for just another pretty face." He eyed her steadily with a teasing smirk.

She actually had, but no way she was going to admit it. She avoided his piercing gaze and looked around thoughtfully. "Do you work in an office?"

"No cubicle for me. Too restrictive. I'd be claustrophobic."

"Do you work at the library?" she asked, since it was in her field of vision.

"Literature is in my realm of expertise, but no."

"Hm, well that's a hint, at least. Maybe something to do with writing." She tapped her pointer finger on her chin. "A journalist?"

"Wrong again. Hurry up. I'm going to be late."

"I'm all out of ideas, so just tell me."

"Where's the fun in that? See you later." He plonked his large hand down on her head as he walked past her, then continued along down the sidewalk without glancing back.

"Grr!" She stomped her foot and spun around, glaring at his back. She could just text Meg and ask, but that felt like cheating. She wanted to figure it out on her own.

She smoothed her disheveled hair and tied it up into a quick ponytail, then approached the market stalls, trying not to think about Leon. She hated to admit it, but she could understand why so many women were drawn to him. Even though he was irritating, he was also uniquely handsome and charming. Forte was definitely the odd woman out when it came to her dislike of him.

The first stall she approached was bursting with assorted fresh fruit and vegetables. There was a rustic wooden sign hanging above it that said _Sincerity Farms_. It looked like the perfect place to start, so she walked up to the counter and began perusing their inventory.

"Your produce looks so high quality," she commented, examining an expertly grown pumpkin.

"Thanks! We take pride in everything we sell." The redheaded man behind the counter smiled brightly. He looked familiar but she couldn't place him. "You seem like you know your stuff. Are you a farmer?"

"I lived on a farm all my life, actually. I just moved here."

"Cool, well your compliment is worth even more then." His large hazel eyes were sincere, just like his farm's name. "Haven't I seen you before? I promise that's not some lame attempt at a pick up line. You really do look familiar."

"I was just thinking the same thing, actually," she laughed. "I've only been here a few weeks and I haven't visited many places yet, mainly Porco's with some new friends."

"That's it!" Realization dawned on his face and he smiled. "I'm there just about every weekend. Who are your friends?"

"Meg, Leon--"

"And those jerks haven't introduced you to me?! I'll have to give them a piece of my mind," he interrupted with a scowl. "Well anyway, welcome to Selphia! I'm Doug. Glad to meet you."

"I'm Frey. Glad to meet you, too!" She smiled cheerfully. "I think I'll take one of everything."

* * *

That Friday, Frey was painting her new bedroom robin's egg blue when her phone chimed. She climbed down the ladder and surveyed her work before setting her roller down on the plastic tarp and looking down at the screen.

_Remember, my band is playing tonight! You should come!_

_I'm still working on the house. There's so much I want to finish before I start my new job next week._

_Come on! You deserve a break :)_

_Maybe!_

_See you there! ;)_

She laughed and set the phone back down. If not for Meg, she probably wouldn't ever take a break. She tended to get so absorbed in whatever she was working on that she barely raised her head until the task was complete.

Their meeting had been purely by chance. Frey's second day in town, when she went to the general store for supplies, she had run into Meg while she was passing out fliers for her band. When she learned she was new in town and didn't know anyone, she had immediately taken her under her wing. They had become instant friends.

She dove back into painting and a couple of hours later, she was finally finished. The sun had gone down already. Meg's band didn't play until ten and Porco's was only about five minutes away, on the opposite side of downtown, so there was still plenty of time to shower. She checked her phone while she was toweling off and she had another message from Meg.

_Do you want a ride? I can pick you up on the way! Let me know._

_Sure, that would be great! I'm almost ready._

Frey quickly dried her hair and wove it into a loose braid, then applied light makeup and dug through her closet for something to wear. She opted for jeans and a long sleeved shirt since it was so chilly out, and she was pulling on her ankle boots when her phone chimed again. It was Meg telling her that she was out front.

She checked her reflection in the mirror and grabbed her purse and jacket, then jogged out to the car. Her boots crunched over the dead leaves that littered the pathway leading to her house, and the wind sent them tumbling across her yard. She would definitely have to get the rake out in the morning.

"I knew you'd come!" Meg exclaimed happily as Frey climbed into the passenger's seat.

"I probably would have regretted it if I stayed home. Thanks for picking me up." 

"No problem. Your house is on the way." She pulled back onto the road and it was nearly pitch black if not for her headlights. "You know who else will be happy you're coming… Leon."

"Huh? Why do you say that?" She felt herself flush.

"He texted me earlier and asked if you were." Meg glanced over at her before focusing her eyes back on the road. Her tone was curious. "He never asks me about anyone else. Is there something going on between you two?"

"No, not at all. I haven't even talked to him since I ran into him downtown on Tuesday." Her hands fidgeted in her lap.

"Well… just be careful. He's a good person at heart and he doesn't hurt anyone on purpose or out of malice, but… let's just say he doesn't have the best track record when it comes to relationships for the last few years." Meg sighed a bit sadly and adjusted her hands on the steering wheel. "He's a great friend and I love him, but that's the honest truth. I just don't want to see you get heartbroken, that's all."

"Thanks for the warning. I appreciate you looking out for me." There was a lump in her throat and she forced a smile. "Did something happen a few years ago?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't feel right telling anyone. He very rarely talks about it. Maybe he'll open up to you."

"He won't even tell me what his day job is, so I doubt it," Frey giggled.

"Oh, he's a--"

"No, don't tell me! I want to figure it out myself."

* * *

"Hey, Dylas. Come here. What did you do to the sink?"

"What are you talking about? It was working just fine a few minutes ago."

Leon waited for him to approach and then pressed the trigger on the sprayer, dousing Dylas with cold water. He cursed and held his hands in front of his face, grabbing the sprayer and shoving Leon away from the sink.

"Oops… looks like it's working again."

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Too many things to list."

"That's the most honest thing you've said in days."

Dylas pretended to be walking away, then turned and lunged at the sprayer, hitting Leon directly in the eyes. His long purple hair hung limply around his face, saturated with water, but his expression was triumphant.

"Thanks, I needed that. Very refreshing." Leon wiped his face with a paper towel and handed another one to Dylas, who eyed him suspiciously before he accepted it.

"You're an idiot. An even bigger idiot than Doug," Dylas growled, drying his face. 

"For someone you supposedly hate so much, you sure do mention him often," Leon teased, winking suggestively.

"Get out of the kitchen before I throw a plate at your head!"

Leon ducked through the kitchen door, chuckling to himself, and leaned on the counter alongside Dolce. Her long, wavy pink tresses were loose around her shoulders and she was wearing a lacy Victorian style dress.

"Why are you wet?" She was mixing a drink in a cocktail shaker and she glanced over at him with a blank expression. 

"Dylas went on a rampage and attacked me with the sink sprayer out of nowhere."

"A likely story." Dolce didn't look convinced. "I need a couple of whiskey sours at the end of the bar."

"All right, since you asked so nicely."

He set to work on the drinks, delivered them where she had indicated, and glanced up when he saw a flash of green in his peripheral vision. Her determined eyes met his as she hopped up onto a barstool.

"I've got it. You're a teacher."

"No."

"A researcher."

"That's too vague… but getting warmer."

"A scientist!"

"Nope."

"Are you trying to guess his day job?" Dolce asked, pouring a shot of whiskey. "If he won't tell you, I will. He's a--"

"No!" Frey covered her ears, slid off the stool, and retreated back to the table where Meg and some of the others were sitting.

"She wants to guess it herself? Why?" Dolce handed off the shot to a nearby customer and arched a delicate eyebrow.

"She started trying to guess earlier this week and wants the satisfaction of figuring it out, I guess. And she's stubborn." He smirked as he watched Frey sit down next to Meg, talking animatedly.

"You seem happy about that."

"It's entertaining."

"And you like the attention."

He shot her a sidelong glance. "Maybe."

* * *

She was still turning possibilities over in her head when Leon approached with a tray full of drinks, and Frey spotted one garnished with lime and mint. 

"We hadn't even ordered yet," Frey said, tilting her head questioningly at him as he set her new favorite drink in front of her. "And I thought you hated making mojitos."

"Don't question it." His expression was unreadable as he handed the other three ladies their drinks. She imagined he must know all of their preferred cocktails by now.

"You just felt like being nice?" Her tone was skeptical and she sipped her drink.

"I said don't question it. Do you listen?" He winked and tousled her hair.

"Hey! You messed up my braid. Now I'm going to have to take it out." She narrowed her eyes at him and undid the tie, combing her fingers through her silky locks.

"Leo, you don't mess with a woman's hair." Meg crossed her arms and glowered at him. "Leave poor Frey alone."

He merely smirked as he took his tray and headed back to the bar, stopping to gather empty glasses as he went. Frey had to tear her eyes away from him, as usual.

"He's acting weird, yes?" Xiao Pai observed, swirling her drink.

"Yeah, he kind of is. I think he has a little crush." Meg sipped her cocktail while looking pointedly at Frey.

She felt a blush bloom across her cheeks and glanced away, raising her drink to her lips so she had a moment to think of a response. Surely Meg was mistaken, but she had known him longer than anyone, so she could probably read him the best. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, considering what she had confided in her earlier.

"He's not the only one who has a crush," Amber giggled, taking mercy on her and changing the focus of their conversation. "Look at Doug and Dylas."

The pair in question appeared to be having a heated conversation at the bar. Doug was wearing a constant scowl and Dylas' eyebrows were furrowed. Their tense body language was plain to see.

"They look like they hate each other, to me," Frey said, relieved that the spotlight was no longer on her and Leon.

"They have a strange way of flirting and they're both in denial. Just watch when Dylas goes back to the kitchen. Doug's expression will change completely and he won't take his eyes off of him until he's out of sight." Meg wore an amused expression.

"Yes. There. His face changed right away," Xiao Pai pointed out.

"I think neither of them wants to be the one to give in first," Amber commented. "Maybe we should play matchmaker!"

"I can see that going badly," Meg replied, shaking her head. "I think they have to figure it out for themselves."

"It could take many years." Xiao Pai finished her drink and fiddled with the empty glass. 

"Oh wow, the time flew by. I need to start getting ready. Hope you enjoy the show!" Meg stood quickly and headed to the stage where her band was beginning to assemble.

"Let's find a good spot in front of the stage before it's any more crowded, yes?" Xiao Pai rose from the table, as well.

"Okay! I'll find you guys in a minute. I'm going to run to the bathroom first," Frey called after them. She grabbed her purse off of the back of her chair and turned around, smacking straight into Leon's broad chest.

"Hey, you," he chuckled, steadying her. His hands lightly gripped her upper arms. "Watch where you're going."

That brief contact, combined with her proximity to him, rendered her temporarily speechless. She narrowed her eyes at him and pushed him backward to try and save face.

"Why is it my fault? You're the one who snuck up behind me."

"I just came to clean the table."

"Well, go ahead," she replied, shooting him what she hoped was a neutral glance as she stepped around him.

"Wait." His fingers closed around her wrist and she gulped, freezing. "Give me your phone."

"Huh? Why?" She turned back around and looked up at him, biting her lip and unsuccessfully fighting back a blush. His cerulean eyes had an almost hypnotic effect on her.

"Just let me see it."

She handed it over dazedly, then watched as he quickly keyed something in. She looked around to make sure none of the girls were witnessing this, but the room was so packed now that she couldn't find them.

"In case you have any more guesses." He handed it back to her and went about clearing the table without another word.

Worried he would glance back and notice how flustered she was, she hastily walked into the bathroom and looked down at her phone as soon as she entered a stall. He had typed in his number, and instead of adding his name along with it, there was nothing but a winking face emoji. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still revealing little details very slowly! What do you guys think Leon's secret is? And his job?
> 
> I'm truly appreciating receiving more reviews lately, too! It really makes my day when y'all comment. Thanks so much for that!


	4. Never Have I Ever...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're missing out." Leon looked over at her and smiled slyly. "We'll have to change that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that the reason I'm having so much fun writing this is that I fucking miss going to bars and hanging out with friends! I have barely left my house since March. I'm sure many of you can relate. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

It had been an entire week since he put his number in her phone but she had still neglected to send him a single text. She lost count of how many times she had started typing, only to end up erasing it. Meg's words of caution kept echoing in her head.

Lying in bed that night, she found herself staring at his number and the winking emoji yet again. She felt too exhausted from her first full week at her new job to go out that night. It was only 11:00 so he would be at Porco's for at least another hour. Surely one little message would be harmless.

The text cursor seemed so intimidating as it blinked at her in the dark. She inhaled deeply and started to type, trying to ignore the nervousness that welled up in her stomach. She told herself that he probably wouldn't read it or respond to it for a while, anyway. Maybe not even until the next day.

_Historian?_

She held her breath and hit send before she could second guess herself. A historian did research and probably also dealt with plenty of literature, she thought. Maybe she had finally hit the nail on the head, or at least gotten close.

She rolled over and plugged her phone in on her nightstand, then burrowed into the covers and closed her eyes. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, her phone chimed and her heart skipped a beat. She slowly leaned over and read the text that had popped up on the screen.

_I was starting to think you gave up._

_Not yet. I had to brainstorm for a bit. So am I right or not?_

_Basically, yes._

_Finally!_

_Now you won't have to lie awake all night thinking about me._

_I don't!_

_That's exactly what someone who lies awake all night thinking about me would say._

Her pulse was hammering and she knew she had to find a way to end this conversation before she gave him more ammo. This was precisely why she was hesitant to text him. It felt too intimate--and tempting--to have him flirting with her privately like this. She sent an emoji with its tongue sticking out and silenced her phone.

The next morning, her heart instantly lurched when she saw her phone and recalled their short conversation. She wondered if he had texted anything back. She cringed and slowly reached over to check. He hadn't said anything further, which left her feeling a mixture of disappointment and relief.

* * *

"I appreciate you coming in this early on a Saturday, Leon." The blond, bespectacled man sat across from him at a large work table, upon which he had set a meticulously packed wooden box.

"Of course. These need to go on display immediately. What a find." Leon gingerly lifted one of the rough stones from the box and turned it over in his gloved hands.

"Yes, Kiel outdid himself. Look at the inscriptions on this one," Arthur enthused, pointing out a particularly intricate stone. "Truly magnificent."

"I just wish petroglyphs weren't so hard to date. I have my work cut out for me."

"We may have to send some samples off for evaluation. In the meantime, let's get these cleaned up and catalogued."

"Sure thing." Leon started by taking a hand brush and loosening the dirt and dust from the stone he was holding. It was tedious work but the outcome was worth it. He could see more details already.

"Having Kiel intern here has already proven to be a wise decision. This is the third time he's discovered something so riveting." Arthur took a brush into his own hands and began working on another piece.

"He's a smart guy. He doesn't let anything discourage him, either."

"Ah, the beauty of youth," Arthur sighed.

"You say that like we're old," Leon chuckled, pausing to examine the stone in his hands. "We only have five or six years on him."

"Well, I definitely feel old lately." 

"Probably because you have your hands in so many things. You work yourself to the bone, between Porco's and the museum."

"If I were to stop juggling for even one second, all of the balls would come tumbling down around me and it would take me ages to pick them all up, much less get them all back in motion."

"You should find yourself an assistant, then."

"Easier said than done." Arthur adjusted his glasses and glanced up at him.

"Even if you just had someone to help you manage all of the paperwork at Porco's, it would probably make a big difference."

"Possibly."

"Someone who already knows the ins and outs of the place…" Leon smirked teasingly at him.

"Hm." Arthur looked away dismissively, focusing on the stone he was holding.

"Someone who is smart and dedicated…"

Arthur ignored him, engrossed in his task.

"Someone who looks really cute in sunglasses." He waggled his eyebrows and laughed.

Arthur flushed and shook his head, still refusing to meet Leon's eyes. "You know I can't work in close proximity to Meg, _especially_ when she's sporting eyewear. She's too distracting."

"You just need to desensitize yourself to her." Leon chuckled and carefully set his stone aside, reaching for another one. "I think trying to avoid her has made it worse. Are you going to her party tonight?"

"I haven't decided."

"You should come. You need to have some fun, anyway, _old man_."

Arthur laughed softly and looked down at the table, his expression pensive.

* * *

"I vote for a murder mystery!" Illuminata exclaimed, seating herself on a plush floor cushion. She was one of the several in attendance that Frey wasn't very well acquainted with yet. "Although I guess that game isn't very fair, since I always win."

"Never have I ever?" Meg sat on an ottoman next to the armchair Arthur occupied, holding her cocktail.

"That game always ends with Leon passed out on the floor because he drank to everything," Doug laughed. Whether it was on purpose or not, Frey noticed he sat directly across the coffee table from Dylas.

"Hey, I usually at least have the dignity to fall asleep on a couch," Leon retorted.

"How about we just play one or two rounds since there are so many of us?" Vishnal suggested, sitting on one of the large fluffy couches next to Clorica, who was already looking drowsy.

"Okay. Everybody grab your drink and gather around!" Meg sounded enthusiastic, but she also looked slightly concerned.

"Don't judge me," Leon said with a grin as he sank down on the couch beside Frey. "I never lie during these things. I'm an open book."

"I make no promises." She laughed and made sure she wasn't close enough to accidentally brush against him.

"I'll start," Meg announced, tittering. "Never have I ever passed out drunk as a result of playing this game."

"Oh, so we're playing dirty." Leon glowered at her as he took a drink. "I'll remember that when it's my turn."

"Never have I ever been late to work," Arthur said, and every single one of them drank besides Forte.

"Good one," Amber chirped, staring thoughtfully into her cocktail. "Umm… never have I ever killed a plant." Everyone drank except Frey and Illuminata.

"Never have I ever gone an entire day without breaking something." Xiao Pai looked slightly ashamed, moreso when nobody drank, and then she had to take a drink herself. She was seated on the other side of Leon and he patted her back sympathetically.

"Never have I ever had stage fright to the point that I hid behind the bar." Leon stared pointedly at Meg and she blushed lightly as she sipped her drink.

"That was one of my very first shows! Of course I was nervous," she replied defensively.

Now it was Frey's turn and she realized she had neglected to think of anything. "Hmm… never have I ever… gone skinny dipping."

Almost everyone drank in response and she giggled in surprise, wondering how so many of them had come across the opportunity to do that. She couldn't remember ever having been in a situation that would have led her to skinny dip. 

"You're missing out." Leon looked over at her and smiled slyly. "We'll have to change that."

She blushed and glanced away, making a mental note not to make any more statements related to nudity. He seemed to jump at any opportunity to tease and embarrass her.

"Never have I ever given up on anything!" Vishnal shouted triumphantly, and everyone laughed and drank.

Clorica was dozing, so she got skipped, and then it was Forte's turn. The blonde looked uncomfortable with so many pairs of eyes staring expectantly at her.

"Never have I ever visited a haunted house." She shuddered visibly.

Dolce drank, as expected--Frey thought she looked like she would be into that sort of thing. Several of the others sipped their drinks, too, including herself.

"Never have I ever started reading a book without finishing it." Kiel looked proud of this fact and just about everyone drank.

"Never have I ever failed to solve a mystery!" Illuminata claimed. Frey got the feeling that wasn't necessarily true, judging by the skeptical looks on everyone's faces. No one drank and Illuminata looked smug.

"Never have I ever burned something while cooking," Dylas bragged, causing nearly everyone to drink.

"Never have I ever spilled a drink on a customer," Doug said, smirking at Dylas.

"You just had to pick at me, didn't you!?" Dylas growled. "I want to redo mine. Never have I ever been too short to reach things in the top cabinet by myself!"

They continued bickering as everyone openly watched in amusement, but neither Doug nor Dylas seemed to notice any of the spectators. They were both standing, now, scowls etched into their faces.

"Never have I ever had a one night stand." Meg started the next round off with a bang, glancing around the circle with a mischievous expression.

Leon drank, which didn't surprise Frey in the slightest, but she _was_ surprised by Dylas and Doug--mainly that they admitted it. They both drank quickly though, probably hoping they wouldn't be noticed.

"Was it with each other?" Leon asked, motioning to the two of them, and they both turned crimson instantly.

"Of course not!" they yelled almost perfectly in unison, and there was plenty of giggling around the circle.

"I hate this stupid game," Dylas groaned, glaring daggers at Leon. "If you're going to spout bullshit like that, I'm not playing anymore."

"Me, either," Doug agreed, rolling his eyes.

"All right, all right. Calm down." Leon's voice was smooth as silk as he tried to diffuse the situation. "I'm going to make more drinks."

He stood and grabbed Frey's hands, and they were dwarfed by his. He easily pulled her to her feet and caused her to squeak in surprise.

"Um, are we going somewhere?"

"Come help me. I'll show you how to make a hurricane."

She followed him with a nervous lump in her throat, wondering why he had to choose her out of everyone. The prospect of being alone with him was nerve wracking, mainly because she was so attracted to him and was trying to suppress it. She now fully understood what it felt like to be a moth drawn to a flame.

It turned out that Meg's kitchen had an exceptionally well stocked liquor cabinet. He removed two different bottles of rum from it, along with simple syrup and grenadine, then grabbed passion fruit juice and orange juice from the fridge. 

"Did you have to pick something with so many ingredients?" Frey stood wringing her hands together as she watched him arrange hurricane glasses on the counter.

"It's not complicated, I promise. Come here." He set two cocktail shakers full of ice down on the counter and began to pour. "Two ounces each of the dark and light rum, as well as the passion fruit juice."

"You're not even measuring it! I'm going to accidentally pour too much."

"Here, you can use a shot glass for each ounce," he chuckled. "But they actually hold about an ounce and a half, so don't fill it up all the way."

"Okay… now what?"

"An ounce of orange juice, half an ounce of lime juice…"

"Got it."

"Oh, no! You messed it all up." He shook his head at her and sighed.

"Huh?! What did I do wrong? I just did exactly what you told me!" 

"Just keeping you on your toes. You're doing fine."

"Leon!" She glared at him before resuming her task.

"Now a tablespoon each of grenadine and simple syrup, then give it a good shake and you're done." He leaned against the counter and watched her. "Come on, shake it like you mean it."

"I can't shake it any harder than this," she laughed. It felt cold in her hands now.

"I could say so many things to that, but I'm giving you this one free pass." He straightened up and set a hurricane glass on the counter in front of her. "Let's see how you did."

"It's pretty!" She carefully poured the drink and admired the sunset orange color, then eagerly raised it to her lips and tasted it. "Yum! I think it tastes great. What do you think, is it right?"

He took the drink from her but set it down instead of tasting it, and she looked up at him questioningly. Then he placed his hands on either side of her on the counter, boxing her in, and she froze. Since he had never been this close to her in private before, she had never quite realized the extent of his height. He towered over her petite form.

Her pulse raced and she felt dizzy as he lowered his head and leaned toward her. She closed her eyes and she could sense that his lips were a scarce centimeter from her own. His solid body pressed snugly against hers and she gripped the back of his shirt. 

"You thought I was going to kiss you… and you were going to let me." He pulled back and gazed down at her with mischief sparkling in his half lidded blue eyes.

"Typically when someone puts their lips so close to another person's, that means they're going to kiss them." She narrowed her eyes at him, blushing hotly, and dropped her hands to her sides. She wasn't sure what he was playing at, but if he was trying to humiliate her, he was succeeding.

"Hm." He chuckled lightly and tucked her hair behind her ears, causing her to shiver involuntarily. She wanted to turn away but the intensity of his azure gaze was mesmerizing, and then he hooked his finger beneath her chin and started to gradually close the gap between them again.

"Hey, bartender! What's taking so long?!"

Dylas' shout broke the spell and she stumbled back against the counter as Leon released her. He looked just as startled as she felt, and he stared at her indecisively for a moment before he turned toward the door, cupping his hands over his mouth and shouting back at Dylas.

"Hold your horses!"

When he faced her again, his expression was stoic. He walked past her and finished pouring the drinks, and then he handed her two of them to carry, which she accepted wordlessly. She expelled a shuddering breath as she walked back into the room where everyone was waiting, hoping she didn't appear too frazzled.

He soon appeared with a tray holding the rest of the cocktails, and he set it in the center of the coffee table before reclaiming his spot on the couch. She was hesitant to sit next to him after what had just transpired, but it would be suspicious if she changed seats, so she sank down onto the couch alongside him.

"Why don't we all go outside and make a fire to sit around?" Meg asked after they had all and chatted for a while. "Leo made mulled cider earlier."

"I'll grab mugs and carry the cider out if Dylas helps, since he complained about how long I took earlier."

"Fine." Dylas stood and strode to the kitchen with an annoyed look on his face, and Leon followed him with a smirk.

Frey glanced over at Leon as he left the room, trying to come to terms with what had happened. It almost felt like a daydream that hadn't actually occurred, and she couldn't help but wonder if he had just been planning to continue teasing her or actually kiss her.

* * *

Dylas stood next to Leon at the kitchen counter as he filled mugs with hot cider. It smelled strongly of apples and cinnamon, which was unexpectedly comforting.

"I'm still pissed off at you about earlier. Why can't you keep your mouth shut?"

"I just call it like I see it."

"Well, whatever it is you think you see, you're wrong. Worry about your own messed up love life."

"It's more fun to worry about yours."

When they walked outside and set the drinks on a table near the stone fire pit, there was only one spot left on a bench next to Doug. It was like they had all planned it. He held his breath and sat down next to him, resolving not to say a word and give the rest of them any satisfaction.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Doug looking at him curiously, probably confused by his silence. Truth be told, he was growing tired of the bickering, and especially Leon's teasing about it. How long had it been going on like this?

He had never been great at communicating, which meant he wasn't great at relationships, either. It was difficult enough to figure out what he wanted, much less explain it to anyone else. As a result, he had become aggressive and avoidant, although there must be some part of him that craved connection… otherwise he would have declined this party invite.

Sighing, he sipped his hot mug of cider and stared into the roaring fire, letting the warmth consume him. Everyone else was huddled against each other and laughing, knocking their mugs together, and he almost wished he was capable of that level of closeness. It all felt so awkward unless he was being combative.

"You okay, man?" Doug suddenly asked, clapping a hand on his shoulder. His gray eyes looked genuinely concerned as the flames cast dancing shadows over his face.

"I'm fine." He gruffly forced the words out and found himself avoiding Doug's gaze. It felt invasive.

"If you say so. You look even more hostile than usual." The redhead slowly removed his hand.

"Then maybe that's a sign you should leave me alone, don't you think?" He spoke softly so that only Doug could hear, and he almost regretted his words.

Dylas looked back out over the fire and, again, was strangely jealous of the display of affection before him. Meg and Frey were bunched together between Arthur and Leon, nearly collapsing with laughter over something Leon had said. Amber and Illuminata were apparently telling Xiao Pai and Forte a very dramatic story, and Vishal was chatting with Kiel while Clorica fell asleep on his shoulder.

They were all just so damn… happy. Why couldn't he be that carefree? Who said he couldn't? Maybe his only obstacle was himself.

"Doug… thanks."

"Huh? For what?"

"Just for, uh… for caring."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you can see, I tried my hand at Dylas for the first time and I hope I did okay. I don't think I'm very good at writing him or Doug, so trying to bring them together is going to be a challenge for me. I'll do my best, though!
> 
> As always, thank you sooo much for reading and commenting! I LOVE ideas and suggestions so hit me with them if you have 'em.


	5. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He froze and the mischief that had been lighting up his eyes only seconds before instantly dimmed. His voice sounded subdued. "That's a long story for another time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the longest I've gone without updating in a while (4 whole days lol). This chapter also turned out longer than normal though. And I promise I'm still working on TPOT but I'm addicted to writing this story right now, so that update is taking longer, if anyone's waiting for it.

_Hey, you._

The text notification popped up on her screen while she was making a quick vegetable stir fry for lunch, still feeling hungover and woozy from Meg's party the night before. She couldn't remember much after they had all gathered around the fire pit, just that she and Leon had been fairly close… she vaguely recalled huddling against him for warmth, and she blushed at the memory.

_Hey, yourself. Did you forget my name already?_

_No. I'll use it when I feel like it._

_Well I'll talk to you when I feel like it, then :)_

_So right now? ;)_

She forced herself to put her phone down and walk away instead of responding. She felt giddy, which she was annoyed at herself for. As many options as he evidently had, it would be stupid and reckless of her to develop feelings for him. It was already bad enough that she had been willing to let him kiss her, although thankfully they had been interrupted.

She left her phone in the kitchen on purpose while she crawled onto the couch and ate lunch, absentmindedly flipping channels that she was paying no attention to. Her mind kept replaying the sultry expression he had directed at her in Meg's kitchen, and eventually she could no longer resist texting him back.

_How are you feeling? My head is killing me._

_Not much better than you._

_I don't really remember much near the end of the night…_

_What a pity._

_Why do you say that?_

_You don't remember dancing naked around the fire?_

_That did not happen!_

_Are you sure?_

_Stop making me paranoid!_

* * *

He couldn't recall the last time that there were so few people at the bar on a Friday night. The abundance of snow was apparently making everyone reluctant to venture out, and he wasn't exactly complaining. It was nice to work at a slower pace every once in a while, although he was concerned he might become too melancholy if the night dragged on.

Even Dylas had grown bored already, apparently--bored enough to emerge from his kitchen cave and chat with him for a few minutes earlier. Doug had recently shown up and placed an order, looking restless, and Dylas was smirking suspiciously when he brought the food out to him.

"Really? A sandwich?" Doug's expression was indignant. "You _know_ I don't eat bread!"

"Oh, I guess that wasn't on my list of important things to remember." Dylas was obviously even willing to start a fight out of boredom.

"There's practically no one here and you still can't get my order right?!" Doug growled, crossing his arms. Then he turned around and held the plate up in the air, addressing the few other customers. "Did anyone order a sandwich?"

"Calm down, shrimp. I'm just messing with you," Dylas said, and it looked like he was barely managing to suppress a grin. "The sandwich is Leon's. Your food is almost ready in the back."

"You think you're real funny, don't you?" Doug glowered and handed the plate to Leon, who accepted it with a laugh.

"I'm proud of you, Dylas. I taught you well," Leon grinned, patting him on the back.

"Of course you'd take credit," Dylas scoffed, pushing back through the kitchen door.

"And rightly so," Leon called after him before taking a bite of his sandwich. Was that the first thing he had eaten today? He couldn't remember.

"He's such a damn nag." Doug sighed and shook his head, staring down at the counter. "I can't stand being around him."

"Then why do you keep coming back?" Leon asked the question casually, with a tone of mild curiosity, trying to prevent Doug from becoming too defensive. He and Dylas definitely had that trait in common. "You're our supplier, of course, but you only _have_ to deal with Arthur."

"Because I like it here. And I like giving business to restaurants I help supply. Make it come full circle, you know."

"You can confide in me, Doug. I won't say a word."

"No offense, man, but you don't seem like the most trustworthy person sometimes." He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned awkwardly.

"None taken. But that's exactly why I'm the best person to tell secrets to. Even if I did spill the beans, no one would believe me."

"I can't decide if that's a good argument or a terrible one. Either way…" He paused and worked his jaw. "Wait. What makes you think I have something to confide?"

"I just have an inkling, that's all," Leon replied with a slight shrug, finishing half of his sandwich and pushing the plate aside. He heard the front door open and felt the cold rush in, but he neglected to look, fixated on Doug's reaction.

"Damn it, Leon," the redhead huffed.

"I feel like I hear that phrase often. It's beginning to sting a bit."

"It's just… I wouldn't even know where to start." The redhead sighed heavily and combed his fingers through his fiery hair, projecting an air of anxiousness.

Dylas chose that precise moment, when Leon finally felt like he was breaking Doug down, to reappear with a steaming hot plate of food. His purple hair was tied up as it always was when he was cooking, and Leon thought it made his gloomy expressions even more severe.

"Wow, Dylas. You outdid yourself on that tempura bowl. That's the prettiest one I've ever seen you make," Leon praised, widening his eyes. He actually was impressed, but he was more interested in Dylas' response.

"What are you talking about? I always make it the same way," Dylas growled, plonking the plate down on the counter in front of Doug. "And I had plenty of time to work on it tonight. No one is here except a few people passing through, Doug, and Frey."

"Frey is here?" Leon spun around and saw her perched quietly on a barstool. She was wearing a purple sweater and an emerald scarf, but her nose was still adorably red due to the cold. "Are you just here to stare at me or do you want to order something?"

"Is that any way to address a paying customer?" She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her large green eyes at him. "You didn't even notice me walk in or sit down. I should write a bad review about you."

"Go ahead. You wouldn't be the first. Apparently I'm not polite enough, my hair is too long, and I don't make disgustingly sweet daiquiris like you can get at a hotel resort. Those are on a secret menu reserved only for Forte."

"Well, you can add inattentive to the list," she grinned, pulling out her phone. "I'm kind of curious to read the reviews for Porco's now."

"Oh, I can be _very_ attentive," he replied smoothly, winking at her and basking in the resulting blush.

He turned back around to acknowledge Doug and Dylas, but the grumpier one had retreated back to the kitchen. The shorter one was sitting at a table near the window and tucking into his tempura already, scrolling through his phone.

He focused his eyes on Frey again, who looked like she was still shivering slightly as she scoured for reviews. "So what do you want? I have all the time in the world tonight. I'll make anything you want without a single complaint."

"Something warm," she pleaded, setting her phone down on the counter and rubbing her hands together.

"Hmm, plenty of options there. I know you like mint, but do you also like chocolate?" he asked thoughtfully.

"I love chocolate, of course." She really had the cutest smile.

"I'll make you a tequila mint hot chocolate, then, but I'll have to enlist Dylas' help. I need him to heat the chocolate and milk on the stove. I'll be right back."

* * *

"This one says 'the bartender tried to pick up my girlfriend,'" Frey read aloud, giggling as Leon finished mixing her cocoa.

"Remember that Dolce is here most nights, too. Could've been her."

"It specifically says _he_ , but nice try."

"Probably someone unnecessarily jealous over a little harmless flirting," he said, placing a steaming hot mug of cocoa in front of her. He had topped it with whipped cream and a sprig of mint.

"Thank you," she gushed, immediately wrapping her hands around the mug. She felt warmer already.

"Let me know how it is. I've never had one, but everyone always seems to like them when it's cold out."

"Why don't you taste it?" she asked, motioning toward her mug, but then she was abruptly reminded of him starting to taste _her_ instead of her drink last Saturday. She glanced away and flushed, praying he didn't realize where her thoughts had gone.

"No, thank you. There's a reason I've never tried one."

"Why?" She tilted her head curiously before blowing into the mug and taking a careful sip.

"Too much milk and cream. I can't stand the stuff." He cringed and she laughed. That was definitely the most harsh expression she had ever seen him make.

"Well, you're missing out. It's amazing," she enthused, closing her eyes dreamily as she sipped it again.

"I'll take your word for it." He chuckled and turned to clean up his workspace. "You have whipped cream on the tip of your nose, by the way."

"Oh, geez." She grabbed a cocktail napkin and scrubbed at her nose, taking a more delicate sip of her cocoa this time, and studied him covertly.

He was wearing a long sleeved shirt tonight, so she guessed he actually did get cold, even though he had insisted a couple of weeks ago that it didn't bother him. He looked more tense than normal, somehow, like he was carrying extra weight on his shoulders. She quickly snapped her gaze back down to her phone as he approached her again.

"Let me see your palm." He leaned on the bar directly across from her and held his hands out expectantly.

"Why? Don't tell me that you're a fortune teller, too." She cautiously placed her right hand in his left, palm up, and tried not to think about how warm his touch was.

"I am full of surprises," he purred, tracing the deepest crease. It was the first time he had been in physical contact with her since Meg's party and his touch still felt electric. "Hmm… that's not at all surprising."

"What?" She peered into his eyes curiously, then scowled at his smug expression. The corner of his mouth was tilted up ever so slightly, and she had quickly learned that it meant he was up to something.

"This line, here, means that you are... extraordinarily stubborn." He glanced up at her, looking ever so sly, his bright blue eyes brimming with amusement.

"You're making that up!" She tried to snatch her hand away but he held fast, grasping her wrist. She looked down at their joined hands and glimpsed a small tattoo on his wrist, peeking out from under the sleeve of his shirt, that she hadn't noticed before. It looked like some kind of ancient script, in delicate black lettering that stood out even against his tan skin. "What does your tattoo say?"

He froze and the mischief that had been lighting up his eyes only seconds before instantly dimmed. His voice sounded subdued. "That's a long story for another time."

"Okay," she said lamely, feeling guilty for asking. He only stared down at their hands, looking lost in thought, before stepping back into his typical persona like nothing had transpired.

"And this one means… well. I don't think that I should say it aloud." He lightly ran his finger across a parallel line and it felt like a caress. She had never realized how erogenous her hands were before and she shivered at the contact, willing him not to notice.

"Quit thinking weird things about me!" She sipped her cocoa with her free hand and glared at him over the top of her mug. 

"It says…" He leaned forward secretively even though there were only a few patrons scattered around and none of them seemed to be paying them any mind. He still hadn't released her hand even though he was no longer examining it. "You're dominant and you like to be in charge."

"That's what you couldn't say out loud?" She arched an eyebrow quizzically.

"It has other connotations," he responded suggestively. He finally slipped his hand from beneath hers, leaving her blushing and speechless as he walked to the end of the bar to pour refills.

She inhaled deeply and sipped her drink, trying to calm her nerves. Why did he insist on saying things like that? She stewed on it as she watched him fill a couple more orders and, when he returned, she was overflowing with liquid courage. She decided she would simply ask him.

"Why do you say things like that?" she blurted as he took her empty mug. 

"Like what?" he asked coyly, the picture of innocence.

"You're unbelievably frustrating," she growled, rolling her eyes. "You know exactly what I mean."

"Because I like to watch you blush." He grinned and ruffled her hair as she tried to duck out of his reach, failing miserably. "It's entertaining."

"Seriously? That's the reason?" She nibbled her bottom lip habitually as she awaited his response, trying to fix her hair. It was all in vain, as usual. He was particularly talented at mussing it.

"Mhm. What, were you expecting something more complex?"

"I guess so. Or at least a reason that makes sense."

"Why did you brave the weather and come out tonight, anyway?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject. "Bored?"

"Meg couldn't be here and she said that…" She trailed off, awkwardly trying to find a way to word it. "She said it's not good for you to be alone tonight, so..."

"She did, did she?" He didn't look angry at all, but he didn't appear happy, either. The expression he had worn a few minutes ago flitted across his face again, darkening his handsome features.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently, reaching out her hand before abruptly deciding against it. It dropped back to the counter. "She didn't mention why or anything… I just thought…"

"I typically prefer to be alone today, but that hasn't exactly gone very well the past couple of years. That's why I came to work tonight," he confided, meeting her eyes guardedly. "It's nice of Meg to think about me… and nice of you… but I'm fine. You don't have to stay here for my sake."

"I don't mind," she said honestly, smiling gently at him. "You're good company, even if you do drive me crazy."

"Hah. Well I could say the same for you." He gazed down at her through his long lashes and his characteristic smirk returned.

"Hey, Leon," Dylas interrupted, emerging from the kitchen. "Porcoline just called. We're closing down an hour early. Apparently the snowstorm is forecasted to get worse pretty quickly."

"Looks like you got out of staying with me, after all, Frey. Be careful going home, all right? Call me if you get stuck in a snow drift or something."

"I'll stay and help you close up," she said, rising to her feet.

"What? You don't need to do that. Hurry on home."

"No, it's fine. It's a quick drive. A few more minutes' delay won't hurt."

She busied herself with bussing the tables alongside Clorica as Leon and Dylas ushered guests away, then helped load the dishwasher and wipe down counters. She and Leon were the last ones out the door and they waved to Dylas as he drove away, much too quickly for how much snow there was.

Snowflakes whirled around them, powered by the rushing wind, and it was pitch black if not for several lights in the parking lot. The air was so cold that it made her teeth chatter and she snuggled her face into her scarf.

"Drive safe," Leon said as he pulled his jacket on and locked up. 

"Goodnight," she replied hesitantly, simultaneously feeling like she had spoken to him too much and not enough.

"Let's go with bad night, instead."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. See you later."

She walked the short distance to her car with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, wondering why tonight was so difficult for him. Meg had mentioned that he rarely talked about it and it seemed to have something to do with a relationship. Maybe a bad breakup?

Shivering, she slid into her car and hastily stuck the key in the ignition, ready to crank the heat up to full blast. Her car merely clicked and made a low whining sound when she turned the key, and she hit the steering wheel in frustration.

Luckily Leon hadn't left yet and he apparently heard the pitiful sound her car made, because he walked over and waited for her to get back out. "That doesn't sound good. Your battery is probably dead."

"Yeah, of course it had to die here. I have a jumper cable, though," she said, always prepared.

"I walk to work from my apartment, so my truck isn't here. I can give you a ride home when we get there."

"Oh. How far away?" 

"Just a few miles. In this weather it shouldn't take more than, oh, a couple of hours."

"What?! We'd be better off sleeping here for the night!" She widened her eyes and stared at him incredulously.

"As exciting as a sleepover sounds, I'm just kidding. My apartment is barely half a mile from here." He smirked as he motioned for her to follow him. "Come on."

"Wait, why didn't you ask me for a ride before we knew my car was dead? I would have driven you home." She fell into step beside him, which took a fair amount of effort considering how long his legs were. She had to take two steps for every one of his.

"I like walking."

"Even in the freezing cold?"

"It's invigorating, don't you think?"

"Sure, I guess…" She stumbled over something in the dark and grabbed his arm to steady herself, and of course he laughed at her as he reached down and helped her stay upright.

"You can hold onto me. I won't bite. Not hard, anyway," he teased.

"I don't need to," she insisted, glad there wasn't enough light for him to witness her blush.

"Suit yourself. I might not catch you next time."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"And you said I was making up the part about you being stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn! Just… determined."

"That's a nicer way of putting it," he chuckled, offering her his arm again. "There's not much light in this last little stretch. Swallow your pride for just a second or you're going to sprain your ankle, and then I'll have to carry you."

"Fine," she replied after considering her options for a moment. Having him carry her would be pretty humiliating and she couldn't afford to hurt herself right now. She tentatively grasped his arm and stared down at the ground, watching her step.

They walked in comfortable silence for the last few minutes until they reached the apartment, surrounded by several little shops and a small park. The apartment building was rather quaint and well kept, situated just outside the downtown square, an area she hadn't been to yet.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to let my dogs out before we leave...in case we do get stuck in a snow drift on the way to your place."

"Sure, no problem," she replied quickly, although the thought of visiting his home made her heart rise into her throat.

"I must warn you, however. My dogs are overprotective of me and don't like anyone new. They're not aggressive or anything; just don't be offended when they snub you."

"Okay," she tittered, abruptly realizing that she was still holding onto his arm. She released him and looked back down at her boots.

He held the door for her as they entered the vacant lobby and she was thankful for the blast of warm air that greeted them. The interior was just as cute and well maintained as the outside, decorated with an assortment of lush house plants and several ornate vases. She looked around as he hit the button for the elevator.

"You're not used to apartments, are you, country girl?"

"It's not like I was completely isolated," she laughed, glowering at him. "My mom used to take me to Selphia and other surrounding towns when I was younger. I just didn't have much reason to visit and was too busy in recent years."

"So you _have_ seen an elevator before?"

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes and stepped inside with him, watching the doors close as he pushed the button for the second floor. "I'm surprised you don't take the stairs, as much as you love to walk."

"The stairs are loud at night when everything is so quiet. I know because they're right next to my place. I'm just being considerate."

"Imagine that," she said with a grin, and it was his turn to glare at her as they stepped out of the elevator.

Sure enough, the stairs were right next to his apartment door. She gulped as he turned the key and two energetic shiba inus greeted him happily, winding around his legs.

"Oh my gosh. I hope they like me because they're really cute and I want to pet them," she gushed, cautiously following him inside. Both of the dogs--one who was tan and black, and the smaller one who was reddish--regarded her warily with a curious tilt of their heads. They reminded her of foxes with their pointy ears and fluffy tails.

"Don't get your hopes up," he chuckled, grabbing their leashes and clipping them onto their collars. "The male is Sano and the female is Uno."

"How long have you had them?" she asked as they rode the elevator back down.

"A little over two years," he replied, patting Sano's head. The dog gazed up at him fondly.

They stepped back into the frosty outdoors and crunched across the snow to the nearby park. The moon was bright and cast an eerie glow between the branches of the barren trees, making the snow appear to sparkle. She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets in an effort to warm them.

"I really don't want to pry, but I guess I'm prying anyway, sorry." She wrung her hands together and hesitantly met his eyes. "Why is tonight…?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked softly, watching the dogs root around in the snow.

"If I'm being completely honest, I'm curious. But also, maybe it would be better for you to talk about it? If I can help you in any way--"

"I don't like talking about it." He sighed and leaned down to pet Uno when she approached him for attention.

"I'm sorry. Of course you don't have to."

"It's a burden I have to shoulder on my own, but I think I do need to let it out sometimes. I feel pent up," he replied after several moments, finally meeting her eyes. His inner turmoil was plain to see. "If you want to hang out for a while, I'll tell you."

"Okay," she breathed, surprised he had agreed to. If she could assist him in some way, she felt drawn to do so. It was in her nature to help, especially when someone had that tortured look in their eyes.

When they went back up to his apartment, he grabbed two beers out of the fridge and rifled through a top cabinet. She sat on the couch and glanced around, noticing that his place was sparsely decorated and neat. It gave off the vibe that he was fairly minimalist, though he did have an impressive collection of books. It seemed like his bookshelf would collapse if he added anything else. 

She admired the dogs as she waited, and they were still looking at her curiously and slightly wagging their tails. So far they didn't seem to dislike her, but she was hesitant to try and pet them in case it scared them away.

"Sorry, I had to find my emergency cigarette. We'll have to talk out on the balcony for a minute, if you can keep from freezing to death." He handed her a beer in a Porco's koozie and slid the glass door open, stepping out onto the small balcony.

"If we must," she said with a slight grin, following him out, and the dogs were right behind her. She shut the door and they laid between their two chairs, almost like they were trying to create a buffer between them.

"Where to begin…" He lit his cigarette and leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly and watching the smoke dissipate as it rose into the frigid air.

"Wherever you want to. I don't have anywhere to be." She sipped her beer and waited patiently, looking out over the snowy landscape. The wind had calmed somewhat but snowflakes were still falling at a fairly rapid pace.

"I met my best friend in kindergarten. We did everything together from then on. We went to the same schools, participated in the same clubs and activities as we grew up… we saw each other nearly every day." He paused to take a drink and another puff of his cigarette.

Sano raised his head and laid it upon Leon's boot, which looked to her like a comforting gesture. Uno snuggled against Sano for warmth, closing her eyes contentedly.

"When we graduated high school, we naturally went to college together. We both had an interest in archaeology and ancient languages, so we studied together most nights. After a while, although we had just considered each other best friends for a long time, we fell in love."

He paused again, gazing out over the balcony and sipping his beer, his cigarette trailing smoke. He hadn't looked at her this entire time, always staring off into the distance like he was lost in vivid memories. She watched and listened intently.

"When we were in our second year of college, I proposed to her and she accepted. One night we decided to get tattoos of each other's names in Egyptian script, which we were studying at the time. That's the one you asked about earlier… it says Maria."

This pause was much longer than the last, but she waited patiently even though she was shivering. She wrapped her jacket more snugly around herself, glancing down at the dogs again. Uno had opened her eyes to look up at her and her tail was gently wagging, slapping the floor.

"When we were on the way home that night three years ago, we got into an accident. Someone ran a red light and smashed directly into the passenger side where Maria was sitting. She was in the hospital for a couple of days in a coma, trying to hang on, but she didn't make it… she died."

Frey's hand reflexively went to her mouth and she was at a loss for words, holding her breath. Her heart ached for him. The pain of his loss was evident and she could tell he was still tortured by it three years later.

"Oh, Leon… I'm so sorry." She racked her brain for comforting words, but her mind was blank. It was unlikely that words would make a difference, anyway.

"I blame myself." He continued to stare off into space. "Maybe if I had been paying more attention at that intersection, I could have avoided the collision and she would still be here."

"Maybe, but maybe not," she said softly, reaching over and putting a hand on his arm. He didn't react. "Sometimes things are completely out of our control, no matter what we do… there's no way to anticipate something like that happening."

"Even still…" he sighed, taking one last drag from his cigarette and putting it out. He stood up and both dogs immediately rose to follow him. He seemed to snap out of his trance. "Let's go back inside so you can warm up. You look miserable."

He slid the door open and closed it behind them, shutting out the cold, and she felt her body begin to thaw. He sat on the couch and Sano and Uno immediately jumped up next to him, leaving her a spot to squeeze into at the end.

"I think we may end up having a sleepover after all," he said, stroking Uno's fur. "The snow piled up while we were talking. Luckily it would seem that the dogs tolerate you… they're relaxed even with you sitting right next to them."

"Do you think they'll let me pet them?" she asked hopefully, ignoring the sleepover comment for the time being. She wasn't sure it was possible to sleep here, even if they were in separate rooms.

"You can try." He smiled at her reassuringly. "I think they'll let you, especially Sano. Uno is usually the more jealous of the two."

She tentatively raised her hand and placed it on the back of Sano's neck, and he merely glanced over at her before lying his head back down and sighing sleepily. She grinned and patted his soft head, ruffling his ears.

"Huh. I would even go as far as to say he likes you. I've never seen him warm up to anyone so quickly." He looked perplexed.

"Just lucky, I guess."

"Or he can sense something about you… I wonder what it is." He focused his cerulean eyes on her, his expression thoughtful and intense. She had to glance away. "Anyway. Ready for bed?"

"Umm…"

"I'll let you sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch. Unless you want me to sleep with you."

He had messed with her so much lately that she gathered all of her courage and decided to turn the tables on him. "Okay, sure. You can keep me warm."

"W-what?" he stammered, eyes wide, and a noticeable blush stained his cheeks.

"You heard me."

"You… you're joking, right? I didn't actually think you'd…" He tucked his hair behind his ears in a nervous gesture.

"Just keeping you on your toes," she giggled, repeating a line he had used on her before. She had finally found the key to unnerve him, and she rejoiced inwardly. "It's not as fun when you're on the receiving end, is it?"

"Actually that was rather entertaining. You managed to shock me," he chuckled, shaking his head. "I bet Sano will keep you company, though. Lucky dog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be cute to have Sano and Uno be dogs that resemble foxes. And now maybe it makes sense why Leon has relationship issues... he's had a hard time of it. I figured I would have Maria be someone he was actually in love with to make it a bigger loss. Poor Leon.
> 
> As always, if you'd be so kind, let me know what you think! Hope you guys are still liking it so far.


	6. Best Laid Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So what's this about? Frey will tell me, won't you, Frey?" Leon asked silkily, gazing down at her. His hand remained in place and she felt his thumb almost imperceptibly stroke her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sleep deprived as usual and laughing deliriously as I post this. I hope you guys think it's as funny as I apparently do. Might be funnier if you're sleep deprived, as well.

Leon awoke to a peculiar numbness in his arm and something soft and silky tickling his shoulder. It decidedly smelled too pleasant to be one of his dogs, and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he forced his eyes open. No one ever spent the night at his apartment and he didn't do overnight stays in general, just out of personal preference. 

There was an unmistakable head of green hair nestled against his shoulder, which explained the numb arm, and then everything clicked as he came to his senses. He wasn't sure at what point in the night she had gravitated to his side of the bed, since they had resolved to sleep with the dogs between them. Now he felt them snuggled against his legs near the foot of the bed, emanating warmth.

His phone vibrated on the nightstand and he strained to reach it without disturbing Frey, which was no easy feat. She had the entire left side of him pinned down and he was glad he had slept in pajama pants and a t-shirt, as well as miraculously avoided having any interesting dreams just before he woke up. How was such a little thing so heavy while she was asleep? He squinted at his phone's bright screen with bleary eyes.

_Have you heard from Frey? She hasn't answered me since last night when she said she was going to the bar, and I just wanted to make sure you both got home okay in the snow._

_She's fine, Meg. Still asleep._

_Oh, good… wait… how do you know?_

_Because her head is cutting off the circulation to my arm._

_Leo! Really!?_

_We slept together in the most literal sense, don't worry. Someone told her to come keep me company all night._

_I didn't say ALL night! Ugh. Anyway, how are you doing?_

_I'm fine._

_Are you just saying that so I'll leave you alone?_

_No. I told Frey everything. I think it was therapeutic._

_I'm so happy to hear that :)_

He set his phone back down and smoothed Frey's hair out of her face and over her back, peering down at her. She was completely out, her soft breaths puffing against his shoulder. If he thought she was cute while she was awake, she was absolutely adorable while she was asleep.

He sighed heavily, wondering what Maria would think if she saw him right now. He knew she couldn't--he didn't believe in the afterlife, despite his extensive interest in Egyptian history--but it never ceased to haunt him, nonetheless. Every time he found a semblance of comfort in another woman's arms, it felt like he was betraying her. 

_Life is for the living_ , she probably would have assured him, but he still couldn't purge himself of the guilt. Maybe he would always wonder what they could have accomplished together, but no matter how much he wished for it, he could never know. It seemed impossible to accept that stark reality entirely.

Frey stirred in his arms and broke him free from his self defeating thoughts. He heard her gasp as she came to, probably experiencing the same type of confusion he had, and he couldn't help but chuckle. She sat up like a shot and tossed the blankets aside, gaping down at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. She was wearing one of his larger t-shirts that reached nearly to her knees.

"Well hello, sleeping beauty."

"Was I…?"

"You sleep like a drunk starfish. I'm guessing you just worked your way all over the bed until you ended up cuddling with me."

"A drunk starfish, huh?"

"Actually, a seizing octopus might be a more apt description."

She reeled back and punched him in the bicep, at that, while a blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire. Then she laughed as she peppered his chest with little potshots, and the dogs must have been startled awake and gotten excited by their roughhousing because they suddenly leapt on top of them. Sano snorted and licked excitedly, rolling around like a pig in mud, and Uno was slightly more dignified but no less energetic.

"I'm defenseless," he groaned, easily overwhelmed by the three of them since he was still on his back. He finally managed to shove the dogs off, who ran to the door waiting to be let out, and he wiped dog slobber off of his face with the back of his hand.

Frey rolled off of the bed, looking breathless from laughter and unspeakably beautiful with her glowing cheeks. This felt like it could be any typical Saturday morning with his girlfriend, a thought that made him feel like he had a mixture of rocks and butterflies in his stomach. She was so fun to be with and he felt comfortable with her in a way he hadn't experienced since Maria. He wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Hey." He sat up and faced her, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and combing his likely disheveled hair with his fingers. He couldn't resist eyeing her fondly for several seconds before he finished his thought. "Thanks for being here with me, even though it happened by accident."

"You're welcome. I'm happy I could help." She smiled shyly in a way that only she could, and it was so endearing that he wanted to kiss her senseless.

* * *

"Oh, I feel like I haven't seen all of you in forever!" Meg gushed, raising her cocktail. Her excitement was palpable.

"It's only been two weeks," Forte said matter of factly, though she still lifted her glass to meet Meg's. She wore a soft smile and her pressed blue police uniform, having just finished work for the day.

"Two weeks is a long time, Forte! Half a month." Amber smiled around the table enthusiastically. "I missed everyone, as well!" 

"Has it really been two weeks already? I lost track of time…" Clorica stared into her glass, appearing rather absent and touching her own cheek thoughtfully.

"So… I know I said I didn't think it would be a good idea to play matchmaker for Doug and Dylas, but now I think it's necessary," Meg revealed, raising her delicately arched eyebrows and eyeing each of them individually to gauge their reactions.

"You changed your mind, yes?" Xiao Pai was bright eyed and ready to help.

"Partially because of what you said before, Xiao Pai. It could take _years_ if we don't intervene and they're driving me crazy. So I have a plan." She suddenly looked more devious than Frey had ever witnessed, apparently bursting with ideas.

"You do? What is it?" Frey leaned forward eagerly.

"Well, _part_ of a plan. I haven't worked out all of the details yet. Basically, we have to get them alone. I'm convinced that they only act so combative because there are always other people around." Meg paused to sip her cocktail, looking pleased with her observation.

"If they were alone together, they wouldn't have to pretend to hate each other… it makes sense." Clorica nodded and glanced over at the bar thoughtfully. "Hasn't Leon been trying to set them up for a while?"

"Yeah, but you know how he is. He teases them too much and I think he exacerbates things," Meg giggled.

"He definitely does." Frey cringed and bit her lip. The man in question kept bringing her mojitos so she wasn't going to complain too much about him, though.

"He also has the perfect vantage point, however," Forte observed. "Dylas and Doug probably have most of their interactions at the bar."

"That's true, so I have to enlist Leon's help somehow. I just haven't figured out what role he'll play yet." Meg tapped her chin and squinted her eyes at Leon, who was across the room.

"He could gather information," Frey suggested. "Asking questions and making small talk is typical for a bartender, right? So if he asks Doug for details about his weekend, he won't have a second thought."

"Ooh, I like it. And even Dylas probably won't think twice about answering Leon's questions since they work together. He'll probably be reluctant, sure, but he won't suspect that we're planning something," Meg enthused.

"Just have him invite them somewhere, run out, and lock the door. Then we check on them in 24 hours," Xiao Pai suggested, and she looked serious.

They all dissolved into laughter and Frey glanced over at the bar, expecting Leon to have noticed the outburst, but he was talking to a ridiculously buxom woman while he poured a drink. She knew it was his job and she had no claim on him to speak of, anyway, but she couldn't resist feeling slightly jealous, especially after how close they had become the previous weekend.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked away, turning back to the conversation at hand. She traced her finger along the rim of her empty glass. "Where do we have them meet, though?"

"That's one of the bigger things we have to figure out," Meg replied, sighing. This was the first time tonight that she exuded a lack of confidence. "It has to be somewhere we can lure them to without suspicion, but it also has to be private."

"That's a tall order." Amber looked discouraged, too. "I keep thinking we need Lumie's help. She's good at looking at things from different perspectives."

"Is she really a detective?" Frey asked curiously, only having met her a couple of times.

"She fancies herself one, but she owns the flower shop I work at," Amber answered, finishing her drink and scooting her glass to the center of the table.

"And she has some wild ideas but somehow they end up working out…? If that makes sense," Clorica added with a confused expression.

"What are you ladies planning? You all look awfully conspiratorial tonight." Leon's teasing lilt sounded above her head at the same moment she felt his hand rest on the middle of her back, his fingers splayed apart. She guessed that it wouldn't be too obvious to anyone sitting around her that he was touching her, unless they were really paying attention. Her spine tingled.

"Is it that obvious? I guess we need to be more careful." Meg glanced around, on high alert, probably making sure that Doug and Dylas themselves weren't growing suspicious.

"So what's this about? Frey will tell me, won't you, Frey?" Leon asked silkily, gazing down at her. His hand remained in place and she felt his thumb almost imperceptibly stroke her back.

"Meg is the mastermind so I'll let her tell you." She struggled to ignore his touch as she spoke, and when he moved away to start gathering glasses, she immediately missed the contact.

"I'll text you. We're going to need a dedicated group text for this, actually. I'll set it up right now, while I'm thinking about it." Meg started working intently on her phone, her focused blue eyes reflecting the bright light.

"Uh-oh. When Meg rolls out the group text, you know it's serious," he chuckled, his tray loaded down with empty glasses now. "Another round?"

"Not for me. It's almost time for my shift. Clorica and I might start early to take some pressure off of Arthur," Meg answered without looking up from her phone. Her expression was one of pure determination.

* * *

Either he was getting paranoid or everyone was taking turns staring at him. 

Doug hurried to the bathroom and gave himself a quick once-over. His hair was maybe a little messier than normal, but nothing worth gawking at. He had just ordered dinner so he didn't have food on his face, at least not yet. His clothes were clean and he was wearing more or less what he always wore; the only new addition was a brown leather jacket that Granny Blossom had recently gifted him.

He shrugged at his reflection and walked back out to the bar, noticing that Leon and Dolce were extra busy that night. Maybe everyone was making up for lost time due to the snowstorm the previous weekend. Whatever the reason, the hectic atmosphere was grating on his nerves and made him wish he had ordered his food to go.

Dylas must have been swamped with orders, too, because Doug hadn't even glimpsed him yet. Arthur was flitting back and forth, making sure everything was running smoothly, and it looked like Vishnal was bringing all of the orders out from the kitchen. Imagine his surprise, then, when Dylas personally delivered his meal at the bar.

"Oh, thanks," he mumbled, too stupefied to manage anything further. He grinned awkwardly. "No bread this time, I see."

"Not this time." Dylas shifted his amber colored eyes around the room before they settled back on Doug. "Don't think I'm crazy, but do you ever feel like you're being watched?"

"Thank god it's not just me!" the redhead blurted, pounding his fist on the counter. If Dylas had noticed it, too, then there truly was something out of sorts. 

"Well it's no wonder that anyone stares at you because you're such a loud mouth, but I've hardly said two words all weekend." Dylas' smile was infinitesimal, but it was there nonetheless.

"I'm only loud because you make me that way!" He blushed at the unintended implication, tapping his foot against the rung of his barstool anxiously. "I mean--"

"I know what you meant. Stop while you're ahead, will ya?" Dylas' cheeks were dusted red, as well. He mumbled something about being busy and retreated back into the kitchen.

No sooner had Dylas left than Leon appeared in front of Doug, drying a glass. He had that weird, expectant look in his eyes that he always got before he tried to drag something out of him. "Hi, Doug. I couldn't help but overhear you and Dylas just now. What's this about being watched?"

"How the hell do you still manage to eavesdrop, even over all this noise?" Doug asked incredulously.

"Bartender's secret," Leon replied with a teasing wink. "But also, you're loud."

Doug rolled his eyes and chose to ignore that last comment. "I think it's just that neither of us are used to having _this_ many people here. I can barely hear myself think."

"It doesn't feel like a small town bar right now, does it?"

"No, not at all. I kind of miss the way it was a few years ago."

"You know, if you need a quiet date spot, I know of a few places," Leon drawled, his mouth tilted up in a familiar aggravating smirk.

"Exactly what are you getting at? Why would I need a place for a quiet date?" He clenched his jaw and leaned forward on the countertop, leveling him with what he hoped was a menacing glare. 

"Hold that thought," Leon said, pulling his wildly vibrating phone out of his pocket and raising an eyebrow. "I just got 37 text messages at once. What is happening?"

* * *

_Leo, abort! You better not be messing things up!_

_Meg… what in the world are you talking about? Also how did you manage to send me 37 texts in the span of a few seconds?_

_You don't know the plan yet! Get away from Doug._

_See, this is why you should have told me earlier. But no, you had to set up your fancy group text._

_I can see you rolling your eyes, you know. Get away from Doug already!_

_What if he wants a drink?_

_Let Dolce handle him!_

_You sound insane right now :)_

_I just don't want you to ruin our perfect plan. You're going to tip Doug off if you're teasing him about Dylas again._

_They actually just mentioned that they feel like they're being watched, so you and your little brood of hens over there need to brush up on your stealthiness._

_Oh no! That's not good. Okay, maybe we should cool it for tonight._

_I guess I shouldn't have offered to recommend some quiet date spots to Doug, then..._

_Damn it, Leon!_

* * *

He was starting to seriously consider throwing his phone out the window, or at least opting out of Meg's group text. He had silenced it but now it was vibrating off the nightstand, bungee jumping with the power cord it was plugged into. He sighed as he began to skim his messages and make sure he wasn't missing anything important, and then he would probably power it off for the night.

_Illuminata: If we're going to do this right, we need a dedicated team for each phase of Operation Carrot._

_Amber: That sounds great! So… what are the phases?_

_Illuminata: Phase 1, Recon! We need more intel. Leon is team captain of this phase because he has the most frequent contact with the targets._

_Leon: Team captain, huh? Does that mean I get to pick my team members?_

_Illuminata: No. I'm choosing all of the teams and I'll inform you of your daily tasks._

_Leon: Then what's the point of being team captain...?_

_Meg: Lumie! You can't just take over!_

_Illuminata: Do you want Operation Carrot to succeed or not?_

_Meg: Who named it Operation Carrot, anyway?_

_Illuminata: Yours truly, of course!_

_Leon: So am I to infer that Doug is the carrot? That's rather lewd, ha ha._

_Meg: That's where your mind went?! I thought it was kind of a cute name until now…_

_Xiao Pai: Dylas loves carrots, yes?_

_Leon: Specifically Doug's._

_Forte: And this is the point where I stop reading._

_Frey: Umm, back to the point… what's Phase 2?_

_Illuminata: Wait, Forte! Phase 2 is Shadow and you will be the team captain. I need you to follow the targets and ensure they reach the designated area._

_Forte: Where is the designated area??_

_Illuminata: I'm working on it! You can't rush perfection!_

_Meg: That seems to be the biggest hole in our plan so far._

_Vishnal: I'm not an expert or anything… but why not simply wait until Doug comes to the bar like he usually does on Friday nights, then find a way to get him into the kitchen with Dylas?_

_Illuminata: Leave this to the professional! Phase 3 is Engage and Meg will be the team captain. She will have the designated area set up to receive the targets, code names Horse and Carrot._

_Leon: This just gets better and better…_

_Meg: I don't know about this. It sounds like we're setting a trap instead of sending them on a date._

_Illuminata: If we trap them, they can't escape! We refuse to release them until they admit their true feelings._

_Amber: Umm… Lumie… maybe we should all brainstorm this some more._

_Xiao Pai: If this goes badly then we might accidently make them deny their feelings even more, yes? We have to take care._

_Meg: Exactly. We need to treat this more delicately._

_Illuminata: Why did you enlist my help if you're not going to stick to my flawless plan?!_

Leon had heard enough for one night and laughed to himself as he started to power down his phone. Just then, a private text from Frey popped up.

_Why don't we take matters into our own hands? I think I have a much simpler plan that would only require the two of us._

_Is that so? Well, as much as I want to watch the train wreck that would inevitably result from Illuminata's plan, I'm all ears._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's Frey's plan?! Do I even know?! Guess we'll find out. Also, someone make me work on the baby fic some more.


	7. Carrots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You know…" He stuttered and struggled to force the rest of the words out, glancing away. He felt himself flush and he tried to disguise it behind the collar of his jacket. "If you ever want to, you can come back there and talk to me…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is my 30th (thirtieth!) chapter spanning four Rune Factory Leon/Frey stories, so I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed since I started posting in July. Writing Leon/Frey has turned out to be therapeutic for me and every single comment has helped brighten my days. Thank you so very much for being here :-D

This wasn't a date but it may as well have been, with the way Frey's pulse was thundering in her ears. She inhaled shakily and inspected her appearance in the mirror one final time when she heard Leon's truck pull into the driveway. She was just wearing jeans, a maroon sweater, and cute boots--nothing special--but they were going somewhere that called for very casual attire.

"Hey!" she chirped in greeting as she climbed in--and she really did have to climb. His truck wasn't even that high off of the ground, but as petite as she was, it still took a considerable effort. She had only ridden with him once before, last Saturday morning when they drove back to Porco's to jump her dead car.

"I'm going to have to start getting out and giving you a boost every time I pick you up," he laughed as she settled in and secured her seatbelt. "Although it's more fun to watch you struggle."

She shot him her best glare, or tried to, but he looked particularly handsome that day and she had to turn away before her expression betrayed her. Half of his lengthy sky blue hair was tied back away from his face, revealing the sharp angle of his jaw. He was clad in his cold weather attire that was typical as of late, jeans and a long sleeved shirt, but today he also wore a blue hoodie that made his vibrant eyes pop even more than usual.

She decided that she wouldn't even glance over at him for the entire drive, lest he realize how captivated she was at the moment. That was more difficult than she thought so she focused on the snowy scenery rushing by them. It was mid afternoon and some of the snow had begun to melt, but it still blanketed almost everything as far as the eye could see.

"Cat got your tongue?" He reached over and grabbed her hand out of her lap when they stopped at a red light, shaking it back and forth. His sudden touch sent a jolt up her arm. "You're quiet today."

"Just going over the plan in my head," she lied, staring straight ahead and noticing that he was extra cautious when the light turned green. He didn't pull forward right away and carefully checked both directions for oncoming traffic. The reason for it made her heart clench.

The fingers of his right hand and her left were still intertwined, resting atop her knee, and he had made no attempt to release her. She bit her lip and tried to calm her rattled nerves, deciding that talking might ease some of the tension she was feeling. She hoped the knot in her throat wouldn't make it too difficult to speak.

"So first we're picking up Dylas, then going to the farmer's market under the guise of casing out product for Porco's. Then when we get to Doug's booth, we'll stealthily abandon Dylas there." She looked out of the window curiously as they turned down a winding road near a large lake. "Still think it will work?"

"It's much better than Illuminata's plan, that's for sure," he chuckled. "I actually think it's perfect because there's no way they'll realize what we're actually up to. It's not uncommon for Dylas and I to go to the farmer's market together because he needs my truck. And even when we abandon him with Doug, they'll probably just think we ran off to make out somewhere."

So apparently talking hadn't been the best idea, after all. She felt herself burn scarlet and she pretended to be engrossed in the scenery, turning her face away from him completely. He had said that so casually, like making out with her was a frequent occurrence. Suddenly the way she had thrown him off last weekend came to mind, so she took a calming breath and swiveled her head to look at him.

"Maybe we should actually do that." She forced herself to train her eyes on his after she said it, pressing her lips together anxiously, and the surprised look he gave her made her giggle. He recovered much more easily than last time, though, his expression smug.

"You know, last weekend when you joked about me keeping you warm, it ended up coming to fruition..." He didn't finish his thought but the implication was there, and she could merely gulp because he was right. He shot her a sideways glance and a mischievous smirk, but the pink staining his cheeks didn't go unnoticed by her.

Thankfully they had arrived at Dylas' place and Leon relinquished her hand to turn into a gravel driveway. The house at the end of it was small but well-maintained, and it was obvious that Dylas took pride in it. His garage was open and Frey spied an abundance of fishing poles and tackle boxes.

Dylas must have heard them pull up because the garage door started rolling down and he ducked under it, walking to the truck. He slid into the back seat and regarded them warily with his semi-permanent scowl.

"Great, so I get to be the third wheel," he groaned as he strapped himself in.

"Don't worry, Dy, I have two hands," Leon purred, winking at him in the rearview mirror.

"Go fuck yourself."

Leon laughed heartily as he backed out of the driveway. She couldn't resist laughing, too, while Dylas glowered at them from the back seat. Their banter was always amusing and mostly consisted of Leon baiting Dylas until he blew up on him, which had happened almost immediately today.

She hoped he wasn't on a shorter fuse than normal because that might interfere with their plan. They were still referring to it as Operation Carrot, at Leon's insistence, and just the thought of it forced her to suppress a giggle.

"You made a list, right?" Leon asked Dylas, his expression neutral now. He tapped his long fingers on the steering wheel as they sat through a short light.

"I know what I need, just like I always do." Dylas' sigh sounded exasperated.

"Just checking… no need to be so defensive." Leon's tone was scolding. He reached over and cranked the volume knob on the audio player and rock music floated through the speakers, seeming to pacify Dylas. 

* * *

Dylas stepped out of the truck and walked behind Leon and Frey to the entrance of the farmer's market, mildly annoyed as they flirted and danced around each other. Leon had never brought anyone along with them before.

"Where to first?" Frey asked, squinting in the sunshine. She removed a pair of purple sunglasses from her purse and put them on.

"Wherever the leader decides," Leon said, glancing back at him.

"I need produce, mostly, so I guess we have to go visit that damn dwarf. Let's save that for last. I need bread and spices, too."

They happened upon the spice stall first, so he stopped and began to browse the selection. He rolled his eyes as Leon reached around Frey's back and tapped the shoulder furthest from him, causing her to look in that direction. Then he ruffled her hair and she swiveled around and punched him in the arm.

"I feel like I have two little kids with me at the market." He shook his head contemptuously and tried to focus on finding the spices he needed.

"I've always wanted to call you daddy." Leon regarded him with an impossibly placid expression, considering what had just come out of his mouth.

"Leon, I swear to god... I will kill you if you ever call me that." Dylas was holding a jar of thyme and almost chucked it at him.

He could tell Frey was barely containing her laughter so he glowered at her, too, and she grinned cheerfully at him before turning away. She walked across the path to peruse a stall showcasing various types of tea and coffee.

"What are you thinking, Leon?" he asked when Frey was safely out of earshot. "You're going to cause a lot of drama when you mess things up with her. Meg might not forgive you."

"I'm surprised you care." Leon looked slightly annoyed at being called out. His eyes narrowed marginally and one side of his mouth turned down.

"It's mostly for my benefit, since I have to be around you all whether I like it or not. The less drama, the better."

"Says the guy who constantly starts trouble."

"I do not!"

Frey came back around, looking perky, while Dylas was placing his order for spices. "There's lots of fresh bread three stalls down."

"Okay. Thanks," he said flatly. He didn't have a problem with her so he did his best to be polite. Also, he felt a bit bad about what would inevitably happen to her.

He went to the bread stall and finished up there, and then for some reason he couldn't quite comprehend, he was nervous at the prospect of going to Doug's stall. He heard Leon and Frey whispering quietly as they walked behind him and he turned to arch an eyebrow at them, making them quickly shut their mouths. He didn't even want to know what they were talking about.

"Hey, guys. How's it going?" Doug glanced up at them and smiled politely as they approached his stall, which was chock full of various vegetables as always. His red hair glinted vibrantly in the afternoon sun. 

"Hey, Doug," Frey chirped, joyful as ever. "It's such a beautiful day."

"Yeah, it is. What are you looking for?" His gray eyes drifted from Frey to Leon, and then Dylas noticed that he barely even glanced at him for a split second.

"I need onions and bell peppers to start," Dylas answered, stepping forward to look at what he had on display. Leon and Frey moved off to the side.

"Sure, we have plenty to cover you. The amount you usually need."

"Geez, why are your peppers so expensive, though?" Dylas furrowed his brows and pointed at the sign indicating their prices.

"Well you do realize it's the end of season for bell peppers, right? All of the stock we have is starting to be grown in climate controlled greenhouses right now," Doug replied defensively. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fine, I guess that's a good enough reason," Dylas huffed, suddenly noticing Leon and Frey were gone.

"Where did Leon and Frey get off to?" Doug asked, as if he could read his mind. He glanced around curiously.

"Who knows. I think there's something going on between them." He shrugged and examined Doug's selection of carrots. He carried a variety of colors and sizes, all of which Dylas loved--but he would never admit it to the redhead.

"I kinda thought that lately, too. Leon gives her special attention compared to everyone else." Doug tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Yeah."

"Meg's going to be pissed when he breaks her heart."

"That's what I said."

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment as Doug wrote down his order. Dylas racked his brain for anything else he might need in the coming week.

"So, still feel like you're being watched?" Doug leaned across the counter to talk since several other people had approached the stall.

"Only when we're at the bar."

"Me, too! I was telling Leon on Friday that I miss the times before it was so crowded."

"Yeah, although I'm spared from a lot of it, being back in the kitchen. You know…" He stuttered and struggled to force the rest of the words out, glancing away. He felt himself flush and he tried to disguise it behind the collar of his jacket. "If you ever want to, you can come back there and talk to me… to get away from the noise."

"R-really?" Doug looked flabbergasted.

"I mean, not that you'd want to or anything--" Dylas looked down and cut himself off, unsure of what he was trying to express.

"I just thought you preferred that no one else was back there…" Doug seemed to be choosing his words carefully, speaking softly.

"I don't want anyone else back there!" he shouted, flashing suddenly irate amber eyes at him.

"But… you'd let me?" Doug's cheeks were stained scarlet and he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. 

"I don't know! Nevermind what I said! Just get the onions and bell peppers ready to go, would you? I need a crate of squash and carrots, too." 

"Fine! You don't have to be a dick about it, horse face." Doug was still blushing hotly, but now it was mostly from anger.

"Shut it, short stack!" he growled, stomping away. He didn't know what he had been thinking before. What had gotten into him?

* * *

"Damn, it doesn't look good." Leon was peering around the edge of a stall bursting with fresh fruit. "At first things seemed pretty amiable, but Doug looks mad… ah, and now Dylas is shouting."

"Well, we tried…" Frey sighed with disappointment, leaning around him to see for herself.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink… or in this case, you can lead it to a carrot, but you can't make it--"

"Leon, oh my god." Frey burst into laughter and leaned on his arm for support. "Only you could make that proverb into something dirty."

"That's quite a compliment." He grinned down at her and noticed her shiver. "Are you cold or just excited to be so close to me?"

"I'm cold! The sun is starting to go down." 

"Well, I can help you, but you can only pick one option," he drawled cryptically.

"Okay…" She was already suspicious because of that familiar smirk he wore.

"Either I lend you my hoodie or I warm you up myself." He shot her an alluring look and held his arms out.

"The first option, of course… geez." She looked flustered, much to his enjoyment.

"Aw, I was sure you'd pick the second." He unzipped his hoodie and held it out for her as she slipped her arms in.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She must have been unable to meet his intense gaze because she glanced away, pretending to admire some flowers in a nearby stall.

"Because you're cute," he said simply.

"Stop it. And this is way too big on me," she giggled, rolling the sleeves up.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you two dolts." Dylas looked and sounded exasperated. "Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"I left it in the truck."

"Well that's a great place for it." Dylas rolled his eyes.

"Ready to load everything? I'll bring the truck around." Leon eyed him for any signs that he had experienced a change of heart.

"Yeah, let's get out of here. I want to do some night fishing." Dylas headed back to the truck ahead of them, and Leon thought he looked distant.

* * *

"That was fun, even though I'm not sure that it did much good," she sighed when his truck pulled into her driveway. She found herself reluctant to get out. 

"Surely they made _some_ headway," he replied, "and I got to spend the day with you, which is always exciting..."

"Being with me is exciting?" Her pulse started to race and she took a calming breath. As much as she tried not to fall victim to his charms, her willpower had been gradually failing her all day.

"Always." He slowly raised his hand to her face and trailed a finger along her jaw, hooking it under her chin. His smoldering expression reminded her of what happened at Meg's party, which seemed forever ago now, but it had only been a month or so.

They stared longingly at one other, locked in a stalemate, neither of them certain enough to take the initiative. In the end she wasn't sure which of them struck first, just that his yielding lips were abruptly pressed against hers with more passion than she could have anticipated. Her blood immediately ran hot.

The center console was digging into her ribs as she leaned over it to embrace him but she barely noticed, so carried away by the pleasant sensations he was invoking within her. She felt like she might float into the air if not for his sturdy arms wrapped around her middle, anchoring her to him as he kissed her.

She expelled a shuddering sigh as his lips abandoned her mouth and found her neck instead, and his hands traced the gentle curve of her waist, coming to rest firmly on her hips. Her eyes drifted open and the only light was the soft green glow that emanated from the dash of his truck. The darkness heightened all of her other senses and she could only manage to cling to him as he gently sucked her neck.

"I told you this would happen since you tempted fate earlier," he chuckled as he raised his head and gazed down at her through his thick lashes. He cupped her face in his hands before melding his mouth with hers again. Her mind and every thought within it was blurred beyond recognition except for one, and it was something she needed desperately to ask him. She broke the kiss with a measure of reluctance.

"What are we doing?" She placed her hands on his chest and pushed firmly before he could kiss her again, and he leaned back willingly.

"This… whatever this is." He spoke softly and his eyes, so intensely blue even in the dimness, bored into her. She struggled to resist gazing into them, fully aware of the hypnotic effect they had on her.

"That's not a real answer." She couldn't disguise the disappointment in her voice.

"I don't have one." His tone was apologetic and she could tell by his melancholy expression that he was being honest; he really didn't.

In the short seconds that followed, she tried to look within herself and decide how much a straightforward answer truly mattered to her. She knew it was foolish and naive to hope that she could someday help him find one. And yet…

She slid her hands upward and encircled his graceful neck with her arms, parting her lips as they made contact with his expectant mouth. He kissed her more urgently than before, cradling the back of her head in one of his hands. The other wandered up the side of her shirt and stroked the bare skin it discovered, making her shiver.

"You should come home with me to see Sano and Uno." His voice was husky with desire when they broke for air. "They miss you."

"Does that pick up line usually work?" she asked breathlessly, tittering.

"I've never had a chance to use it before, considering you're the only one they've ever liked." He tilted his head and kissed her again, briefly but deeply. "So did it work?"

She glanced away, considering what would undoubtedly happen if she said yes, and an electric thrill coursed through her when she imagined him on top of her. Every ounce of self preservation she had left vanished into thin air. She nodded shyly, nibbling her lip. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we had a chat on the RF discord about whether Leon and Frey's relationship should remain a slow burn or become a wham bam thank you ma'am type situation lol. You can see which one I'm choosing, mainly because it's totally different from Perpetual Fall where they were in love for a year and waited til marriage. Their relationship in this story will be a lot different.
> 
> As far as Doug and Dylas, well... I'm not gonna comment on that one yet since I don't think it's obvious where it's going. Or maybe because I still have no clue ;)
> 
> Anyways, thanks again for reading/commenting, lovely readers!


	8. Uninhibited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, I have a feeling that you make interesting noises..." He grinned and leaned down, unexpectedly biting her neck with just enough pressure to make her jump, and she yelped in surprise. "Case in point."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK Y'ALL I AM NOT PLAYING!!! Hope that got your attention, haha. I'm posting TWO chapters tonight. This chapter (8) is by FAR the most explicit sex scene I've ever written. Almost the entire chapter contains sexual content. If that's not your thing, don't worry--just skip this chapter and I'll summarize what you need to know in the notes at the top of the next one.

"See, I wasn't lying when I said the dogs missed you," Leon chuckled as they removed their boots by the door. He tossed his keys on the counter and stood back to watch Sano and Uno weave through Frey's legs.

She dropped her small overnight bag, which she had quickly packed before they left her house, and laughed happily as the dogs overwhelmed her. She kneeled down and patted their fluffy heads, and their tails were wagging so frantically that they were little more than blurs.

Once the dogs appeared satiated by the abundance of attention, Leon grasped her hands and pulled her up, drawing her into his arms. She giggled as he smoothed her hair back over her shoulders and kissed her neck just below her ear, then slid his hands under her shirt and tickled her. His fingers massaged up and down her lower back as he brushed his lips teasingly across hers.

She felt her body respond to him instantly, every nerve standing at attention, and she couldn't press herself against him tightly enough. She was still wearing his hoodie which was beginning to feel restrictive, so she stepped back to remove it and tossed it on the couch. He was staring at her like he wanted to devour her and she knew her cheeks were aflame with a mixture of desire and nervousness. 

She stood on her tiptoes with her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly, and when his hands lowered to firmly squeeze her ass through her jeans and anchor her to him, she moaned into his mouth. The passionate sound must have encouraged him because she could feel his cock, even though it was confined, growing stiff and pushing against her stomach.

A shiver worked its way up her spine as she realized the effect she was having on him. Their kisses grew more frenzied, a blur of lips and tongue, and then she squeaked in surprise as he suddenly broke the kiss and picked her up effortlessly, her legs gripping his trim waist. He carried her to his room and nudged the door shut with his foot, presumably to keep the dogs from disturbing them.

He placed her on the edge of his bed and tapped something on his phone's screen before tossing it onto the nightstand. Music erupted from the speaker across the room.

"Thin walls," he explained with a meaningful glance. He tied his long hair into a messy top knot with the elastic that had been on his wrist.

"Is that… going to be a problem?" she managed to ask, distracted by her frantic heart hammering away against her ribcage.

"Well, I have a feeling that you make interesting noises..." He grinned and leaned down, unexpectedly biting her neck with just enough pressure to make her jump, and she yelped in surprise. "Case in point."

She flushed hotly and narrowed her eyes at his smug expression. She was used to him deriving satisfaction from her embarrassment by now, always trying to throw her off balance, and she secretly found it as enticing as it was irritating. She was starting to think that it was a form of foreplay for him.

"I love it when you look at me like that," he drawled, validating her thoughts as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

She softened as a result of his caress, holding her breath as he hooked his fingers beneath her sweater and gently pulled it over her head. His eyes roved over her exposed torso, now bare except for the lacy blue bra she wore, and she reflexively wrapped her arms around herself.

"Don't stare so hard," she complained, flushing and glancing away. It had been at least a year since she had been with anyone and she had forgotten how bashful the first time with a new lover made her feel.

He smiled and covered his eyes with his hands. "I can't help it. You're exquisite. You might have to blindfold me."

She had to giggle at that, which relieved some of the anxiety she was feeling, and she decided it was only fair if he was shirtless, as well. She stood and moved his hands away from his face, pausing to kiss him before she peeled off his shirt. She had almost forgotten about his tattoo sleeve since it was always covered lately, and she briefly appreciated the brightly colored dragon before cheekily stepping back to study him.

His body language was confident but his cheeks darkened slightly as she openly stared. It was impossible to disguise her admiration of his toned chest and arms, but especially the deep v-shape that started at his hips and led her eyes curiously downward. She swallowed thickly, beginning to feel intimidated by how stunning and undoubtedly experienced he was.

"Don't be nervous," he soothed. Evidently he had sensed her sudden hesitation and he closed the gap between them, running his hands up and down her arms. "I told you before that I don't bite."

"You literally _just_ bit me," she reminded him dubiously, shivering as his fingertips continued to caress her. 

"That was more of a nibble, but I can properly bite you if you'd like." He dipped his head and nuzzled the side of her throat before grazing his teeth across it.

"No, thank you!" she squeaked, backing up until her calves contacted the side of the bed.

He laughed and merely mouthed her neck instead, but she still expected him to end up surprising her with another bite. She was on edge until he kissed a trail along her jaw and captured her lips again, and with less clothing between them this time, their kisses grew even more persistent.

Before long he reached between them and fiddled with the button on her jeans, unzipping them and shimmying them down over her hips. She kicked them away and set to work unfastening his belt, somehow managing it even though her hands were trembling with adrenaline. He stepped out of his jeans and his member strained almost comically against the thin fabric of his boxers.

She panicked internally and wound her arms around his neck, kissing him slowly to buy herself some time. His rock hard arousal prodded her abdomen as she pressed herself against him, and she felt him becoming restless. His hands were roaming across the backs of her thighs and bottom, squeezing and caressing as they went.

Summoning all of her courage, she tentatively reached down and stroked his shaft as she continued kissing him, her anxiousness renewed because of how well endowed he was. He made a pleasurable sound low in his throat and her core throbbed in response, coaxing her onward.

His cock sprang to attention when she tugged his waistband down and she explored the length and shape of it with her fingers, marveling at the velvety texture of his skin. He gasped against her lips, encouraging her, so she wrapped her fingers around the base.

"Oh, _you,_ " he growled, "I won't have anything left if you start that. Come here."

He lifted her again and this time he put her in the center of the bed, openly admiring her before he propped himself up on his elbow next to her. He reached around and unclasped her bra, helping her slide it off, and he immediately cupped one of her pert breasts. She gasped as his thumb rubbed circles over her nipples, making them harden as her whole body tingled.

She kneaded the back of his neck as he appreciated her breasts with his mouth and tongue, and she felt his free hand wander down across her abdomen and between her thighs. He tugged her panties down and she kicked them off the rest of the way, shuddering with anticipation as he caressed her inner thighs. He nearly drove her mad with need, dragging his fingers lightly across her sensitive skin, touching her everywhere except the place she most wanted him to.

At last his fingers stroked her sensitive petals, slick with her arousal, and he hummed appreciatively when she moaned and cried out. She spread her legs unabashedly, too intoxicated by lust to be timid anymore, and he rubbed the entrance of her throbbing core.

"God, you're _so wet_ ," he marveled, his eyes wild with desire. Then his voice took on a mischievous tone as he slowly inserted two of his long fingers into her. "I didn't realize you wanted me quite this badly."

"Stop teasing me," she gasped out, struggling to maintain the small amount of composure she had left.

"Never," he purred.

He leaned down and wiggled his tongue over her clit as he curled his fingers upward inside of her, making her cry out louder than before. He stroked them within her agonizingly slowly at first, and when she started involuntarily lifting her hips off of the bed, he fingered her harder, hitting that most sensitive spot over and over as he licked her.

She whimpered helplessly, beside herself with pleasure, and she felt herself reaching her peak with an overwhelming quickness. She was so close, writhing on the bed with her head thrown back in ecstacy, when he abruptly withdrew his fingers and lifted his head.

" _Leo_ ," she moaned desperately, panting and searching his eyes. They were half lidded and smoldering, focused on hers.

"I wasn't ready to let you go yet," he explained unapologetically, grinning at her.

He sat up and reached into the nightstand drawer, likely rifling around for a condom. She was relieved that he was prepared because, for once, she had failed to think ahead.

Her core was throbbing painfully now, aching to be filled. She impatiently waited for him to return to her side and when he did, he lowered himself on top of her and slanted his mouth over hers, his elbows bracing him on either side of her shoulders. She returned his kiss eagerly, tracing his spine with her fingers and rubbing against him.

He rose up and positioned himself on his knees between her legs, and she yelped when he tugged her hips toward him. He laughed softly at her response as he grasped his cock in his hand, and her breathing grew uneven as he pressed the head of it just inside her. She returned his heated gaze as he slid in further and she stretched to accommodate him, relishing the sensation of being filled so completely once he was sheathed within her.

They moaned in unison, in mutual pleasure, as he rocked his hips forward and ground them against hers. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him, watching him through lowered lashes as he fucked her, and his expression was one of passionate concentration. He held her legs in place around him and squeezed her thighs, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. 

She whimpered and lifted her hips to meet his as he drew back and reentered her slowly, repeating the motion several times as he gazed down at her with half lidded eyes. She could scarcely contain herself as he dug his fingers into the sides of her waist and began to pound her so relentlessly that she cried out with each thrust, holding tightly to his wrists.

Because he had already led her right to the edge with an abundance of foreplay, she felt like she was on a hair trigger and her orgasm was just within her grasp. She rolled her hips and ground herself into him almost frantically, her green eyes pleading with him for release. He took mercy on her this time and leaned forward, providing the friction she needed and latching onto one of her breasts as she arched her back.

"Oh, god. Leo, I'm--yes! Don't stop!" She squeezed her eyes shut and threw her head back, clutching his shoulders as he drove himself into her. Her body tensed and time seemed to stop in that split second between reaching the pinnacle of gratification and plummeting back down into reality.

His movements had yet to slow and it intensified and lengthened her orgasm to the point that she felt entirely boneless, gasping words of encouragement. He rose back up on his knees and cupped his hands under her ass, continuing to slam into her as her inner walls pulsated around his cock. She could sense him start to crumble, his thrusts becoming more erratic.

" _Fuck_ ," he rasped, squeezing the supple flesh of her thighs. He nearly collapsed on top of her, shuddering and cursing under his breath as he came. His hair fell loose from the tie and cascaded around her, tickling her shoulders. 

He withdrew and rolled flat on his back alongside her, panting, and neither of them moved or spoke, lying motionlessly for several minutes. Eventually their breathing calmed and the only sound was the music playing, which she realized she had somehow tuned out the entire time. She felt him slide off of the bed and stand, probably going to clean up and let the dogs into the room.

She closed her eyes and basked in her afterglow, oddly feeling like she wanted to burst out laughing. What a strange and unexpected day it had been, and if Doug and Dylas hadn't gotten laid at the end of it, at least she had. 

After several minutes, when he still hadn't returned, she pulled on the first clothing item she grabbed--his shirt--and padded down the hallway. She glimpsed him through the glass door that led to the balcony, surprised to find that he was leaning against the railing and smoking in nothing more than his boxers. It was frigid outside but it didn't seem to be bothering him at all, maybe because he was so deep in thought--he definitely appeared to be. Both dogs were sitting loyally at his feet.

She decided to leave him alone and took her bag to the bathroom to clean up and brush her teeth, wondering about him as she did so. She hoped he wasn't feeling guilty about Maria, but considering the way he had talked about her the night he revealed his past, it was very likely. And she was fairly sure it was the same reason he didn't want to commit to a relationship with her, or anyone for that matter, although she supposed it was also possible he was content with his lifestyle as it was.

The balcony door slid open and she hurried to divest herself of his shirt and climb back into bed, pretending to be asleep since he didn't seem to be in the mood for pillow talk. The dogs got there first, lying at her feet, and she heard the bathroom sink running before he came back into the room. She felt him slide into bed and he seemed to hesitate before settling in next to her, pressing his chest to her back and draping an arm around her waist. His body was ice cold and she suppressed a shiver.

After just a few moments, though, he apparently had second thoughts. He withdrew his arm, turning away from her and sighing heavily. She bit her lip, wondering if she should offer to go back home since having her there obviously made him feel conflicted.

She wanted to roll over and comfort him, and she almost did multiple times, but she was worried he might not appreciate it at the moment. She wished she knew what he was thinking. She remained still until his breathing slowed and then she slowly turned her head to peek at him. He was on his side facing away from her and he had managed to fall asleep, though his expression still appeared tense.

She resisted the urge to reach for him and respectfully maintained the distance he had put between them, hoping she didn't sleep as haphazardly as she had the first time she stayed there. She reluctantly scooted as far away from him as she could and closed her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing to say! XD Hope you enjoyed it...?


	9. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Huh?" Dylas' head snapped up, his amber eyes narrowed cautiously. He knew what he had just heard but his brain couldn't comprehend it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted TWO chapters tonight so if you just clicked on chapter 9 assuming it's the only one you haven't read yet, 8 is new too.. but very explicit. Fair warning that there are mentions of sex and nudity in this one too, as well as some making out, but nothing near explicit or graphic.
> 
> If you didn't read the last chapter due to the explicit content, here's a quick summary: Frey and Leon went back to his apartment and obviously had sex. The dogs had, in fact, missed her (very important).
> 
> Leon wordlessly got out of bed and went outside on the balcony to smoke immediately afterward, for reasons unknown, but Frey speculates he's conflicted about her because of Maria. They didn't talk at all after their romp and she assumes he's not in the mood for pillow talk, so she pretends to be asleep when he comes back inside.
> 
> He initially cuddles up to her back but changes his mind and turns away from her, seeming to be at war with himself, and he eventually falls asleep. Frey scoots as far as she can to the opposite side of the bed, hoping she doesn't end up sleeping like a drunk starfish/seizing octopus again. Sad face.

The following morning, she awoke gradually as the night's events flooded into her consciousness. Her entire body flushed with the remembrance of his touch and she sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. The blankets pooled around her hips, exposing her breasts to the morning's chill, and she quickly yanked them back over her.

Leon wasn't in the room but Sano and Uno were still sleeping, snuggled together near her feet. She climbed out of bed and threw his discarded shirt on again, since it was definitely too chilly to walk down the hallway naked, and it covered all of her except her legs. He wasn't in the bathroom, either, so she hastily brushed her teeth and tried to smooth down her disheveled hair.

She tensed, unsure of what to expect when she heard him in the kitchen, and she walked in cautiously. To her surprise and relief, he was pouring coffee into two mugs and he smiled at her. He was still in his boxers and his cyan hair was loose about his shoulders, messier than she was accustomed to. Something about it made her want to hug him, but she didn't dare.

"Good, you're up. I was just about to wake you to get ready for work." He sounded like his typical self. Maybe he had come to terms with what was bothering him before--at least temporarily.

"Work! Oh my god, it's Monday!" Reality hit her like a ton of bricks and she slapped a hand over her mouth, regarding him with a panicked expression.

"Frey." He widened his eyes incredulously, his voice taking on a teasing lilt as he placed a steaming cup of coffee on the counter in front of her. "I thought you were more responsible than that."

"I usually am!" She couldn't believe how badly she had dropped the ball.

"You remembered you needed to pack work clothes last night. Did I knock the sense out of you?" He winked at her over the rim of his mug as he sipped his coffee.

"I still have all of my sense, thank you very much," she replied, blushing profusely. His comment caused snippets of the night before to replay in her mind's eye, which only served to make her feel more flustered. "Well, most of it, anyway. What time is it?"

"It's just after 6:00. We still have plenty of time for a shower if we get in together," he purred silkily, setting his mug down.

She gratefully drank her hot beverage and made an amused sound, shaking her head at him. "Somehow I feel like that will take _much_ longer… I can't be late today." 

"There's that sense of responsibility. All right, go on ahead. Hurry up."

"I'm hurrying!" 

* * *

Monday through Wednesday had been fairly straightforward and passed quickly, but Thursday was proving to be a challenge.. and it was only halfway over. Leon sighed exasperatedly and rubbed his temples, willing his headache to dissipate.

“You’re going to burn a hole in that book if you stare at it any harder.” Arthur walked back into the room and sat at the work table across from him, placing a thick folder on its surface. “Why don’t you take a break? You’ve been here early all week. Come back in an hour or so.”

“Only if you take a break, too."

"I will after I finish this grant paperwork." Arthur was already completely engrossed in it.

"Sure you will." Leon stood and stretched, attempting to work the stiffness out of his joints. "If you're still sitting there when I get back, I'm going to drag you out."

"Point taken."

Leon pushed through the side door and stepped outside, inhaling deeply as the cold air entered his lungs. It was overcast and windy, but there was only a smattering of snow on the ground that day. 

He removed his phone from his pants pocket and scrolled through it, noticing that he had texts from just about everyone, many of them due to Meg's group text. He didn't feel like reading them all because they would probably contribute to his headache. The person he wanted to talk to was the only one who hadn't texted him, of course, so he decided to take the initiative.

_Hey, you._

_Hi :)_

_I was just thinking about you…_

_Are you booty calling me in the middle of the day?_

_You said it, not me. Where are you?_

_Just passing the library._

_Don’t move._

He smiled to himself and strode down the path that ran between the museum and several other public buildings, one of them being the local library. He could see Frey in the distance as he approached, standing in front of the library with her back to him. She was wearing a skirt and leggings, and the brisk wind was playing with her long mint colored hair.

An irresistible idea popped into his head and he quietly closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and tucking his face against her neck. The startled yelp that resulted was music to his ears and she quickly spun around, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Damn it, Leon! You scared me." She crossed her arms and glowered at him.

"That was precisely my intention," he chuckled, immediately desiring her. "How's your day going? Are you on break?"

"Good, and no. I'm done for the day. My meeting ended early."

"Lucky you… and me, if you come with me. I'm taking a break for about an hour." He shot her what he hoped was an alluring, convincing look. He hadn't seen her since they parted ways Monday morning and time had seemed to slow since then.

"I was going to the general store but I guess that can wait…" She nibbled her lip and blushed lightly.

"Let's not waste any time, then." He winked at her and would have offered his arm, but he knew that would inevitably be the moment Kiel appeared, and he and Frey seemed to have a mutual unspoken agreement that they were keeping this a secret.

They fell into step beside each other and walked the short distance to his apartment, and it suddenly dawned on him that Xiao Pai and Lin Fa would undoubtedly notice them. Lin Fa was spacey and forgetful so she probably wouldn't put two and two together, but Xiao Pai surely would.

"If anyone asks what we're up to, I'm going to say that we ran into each other and you're coming with me to walk the dogs," he said, glancing over at her. "Which we actually will do… afterwards."

"Sounds innocent enough," she tittered as they stepped inside the cozy lobby.

Sure enough, Xiao Pai was going over paperwork with a tenant at the front counter and she gave them a questioning glance. Thankfully she was too occupied to talk to them.

The dogs went crazy when Leon opened his door, as usual, and he and Frey showered them with copious amounts of attention before sitting down on the couch. To his surprise, Frey straddled his lap and crushed her lips against his, and he wound his fingers in her hair as he returned her kiss eagerly.

"Straight to the point. I like it," he purred, tasting her neck as he unbuttoned her blouse.

She wasn't dressed in her typical work clothes today and he briefly wondered why, but her breathy moan distracted him. He slid his hands beneath her skirt to caress the backs of her thighs, and then his phone rang, startling them.

"Damn it," he sighed, glancing at the screen. "I have to take this."

She climbed off of him with a huff and sank onto the couch next to him, petting Uno's head when she trotted over and placed it on her knee. Sano looked jealous and romped over, too.

"Hey, Venti," he greeted, "it's been a while."

Frey abruptly jerked toward him and her green eyes were so wide that he thought they might pop out of her head. He raised a questioning eyebrow but had to focus on what Venti was saying, and Frey fell back against the couch with a disbelieving look on her face.

"I've been busy." Venti tried to sound authoritative but he knew that wouldn't last for long. She always let her serious facade slip around him. "And I'm mainly calling for a status update. Don't tell me to ask Arthur because I already called him and he didn't answer."

"He didn't? That's odd… maybe he got distracted by a new pair of sunglasses."

"It's not like him to get sidetracked by anything during work hours, though."

"Which is every hour for him. I'll check on him when I get back to work."

"So. Details."

"Everything is going well except that the grant paperwork is a pain in the ass," he sighed. "Also, Kiel found another translation project for me and I want to have it ready to feature in the new exhibit. I can parse most of it, but there's older dialect dispersed throughout so I'm having to reference--"

"Okay. Maybe a little too much detail." Venti cut him off with the teasing remark and he could imagine her grin.

"Pfft, you asked. And you know not to get me started on that topic."

"You're right, I should know better," she chuckled. "By the way, have you met my daughter yet? She moved there almost two months ago. I don't think she's been to the museum yet, despite my nagging."

"I may have," he replied slowly, turning to face Frey. He smirked at her as realization dawned on him. "Is her name Frey?"

"Yes, so you have met. Don't tell me it was at the bar."

"Of course not. We met playing bingo at the old folks' home."

"Leon…" Her tone was exasperated. "I guess I should give her a call, too, while I'm at it. Not that she'll answer."

"Why don't I just hand my phone to her?"

"What?! Leon--"

He chuckled and handed the phone to Frey, who glowered at him and raised it to her ear reluctantly. "Hi, Mom." 

"So I have to go through Leon to talk to you now?" Venti asked snidely. She was speaking loudly enough that he could still hear her.

"Sorry, work has been crazy this week. I've been focusing on securing funding for those greenhouse projects I told you about," Frey explained. "I keep meaning to call you back."

"No time for your old mom anymore. I get it."

"Oh, quit being so dramatic," she sighed.

"So what are you and Leon doing together? Late lunch?" Her tone was a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"Lunch with a couple of friends," she lied, raising her eyebrows at him meaningfully.

"It doesn't sound like you're anywhere busy… no background noise."

"Yeah, we're sitting outside."

"Oh? In this weather?" She sounded disbelieving. "Where at? So many good spots around there. I need to visit soon."

"Mom! Why are you interrogating me? Did you forget how old I am?"

"Well, that's what happens when you don't call me often enough."

"I promise I'll call more. Anyway, let me give Leo's phone back to him."

"Leo, huh?"

"Bye!" she chirped, and as soon as she ended the call, she stared at him with a look of shock and confusion. "I can't believe this. I didn't realize you worked at the museum."

"I've known your mom for a long time, way before she became the museum's overseer. She was my history professor, too."

" _What?!_ You're joking. This just gets weirder and weirder. And talk about the most awkward time to call. Thanks for handing me the phone, by the way." She narrowed her eyes and punched him in the bicep.

"This made me realize we know next to nothing about each other," he laughed, but then his tone became seductive. "Although I know parts of you quite well…"

She rolled her eyes dismissively but she couldn't suppress her blush. "So what exactly do you and Arthur do at the museum?"

"Assistant curator and head curator, respectively."

"Wow, so my guess of historian was only very vaguely correct."

"I do a lot of translation and restorative work, as well. And as for you…? Based on your comment to Venti earlier, I'll assume it has to do with that local clean farming initiative I've heard so much about."

"Geez, you guessed correctly on the first try. I'm a member of the board and I do field work whenever I get a chance, usually a couple of days per week," she replied, and the enthusiasm she had for her job was evident.

"You must be very knowledgeable, having grown up under Venti's wing."

"I like to think so." Her expression was one of confidence, which impressed him.

"She's mentioned your farm several times over the years. I guess I should've put two and two together when I heard you came from one."

"Well, I'm sure there are quite a few others with a similar story."

"Damn, I need to walk the dogs and get back to work. I guess we'll have to pick up where we left off another time." He hooked his arm around her waist and kissed her fleetingly before standing and grabbing the dogs' leashes, offering Uno's to her. "Still want to accompany me?"

"Sure," she replied brightly.

"Might want to button your shirt back up first."

* * *

Dylas had a love-hate relationship with Fridays. It was busy, which made the time pass more quickly, but the chaos also meant that he couldn't devote as much time to each dish. When Porcoline trained him, he taught him that presentation was key, which was so hypocritical. The man stole a bite off of just about every plate unless someone was around to slap his hand.

He was tying his hair back and donning an apron when he heard the kitchen door swing open behind him. "Leon, if that's you--"

He whirled around expecting to see an aggravating smirk, but instead, he glimpsed an uncertain smile and a flash of red hair. He froze and moved his mouth, but he found himself unable to utter a word. Doug had simply caught him off guard, that was all. But why did he feel so anxious?

"Hey, uh… I just came to deliver the rest of the produce I owe you. I have fresh eggs, too." Doug stood awkwardly and scuffed one of his shoes across the floor.

"Why didn't you just tell Arthur or Leon like usual?" he asked derisively, feeling his chest grow tight. 

"At the farmer's market, you said--" Doug's expression turned sour.

"I told you to forget about it." Dylas already felt on the offensive. There was no way Doug had forgotten how their last conversation ended.

"Why do you _always_ do that?" the redhead asked, beginning to raise his voice.

"Do what?" Dylas snapped.

"It's just… every time you say something nice to me, then you say something twice as mean to cancel it out."

"I don't know what you're getting at," Dylas replied dismissively.

"And every time you do something thoughtful for me, you make light of it." He actually looked hurt.

"What's your point?"

"Maybe I don't have one... I just don't understand you."

"You don't need to."

"What… what if I want to?" Doug's tone was lacking confidence but it was clear, nonetheless.

"Huh?" Dylas' head snapped up, his amber eyes narrowed cautiously. He knew what he had just heard but his brain couldn't comprehend it.

"I said, what if I want to?!" Doug nearly shouted, his gray eyes flashing with pent up emotion. His fists were clenched at his sides and he appeared to be trembling slightly.

Dylas stood in stunned silence, unable to move at all. His extremities felt frozen and his tongue may as well have disappeared from his mouth entirely. He stared at Doug, cruelly allowing him to simmer in his humiliation.

"I'm out of here. I'll unload your stuff by the back door." He burst through the kitchen doors and they swung back and forth half a dozen times before they were once again motionless.

It was quiet enough to hear his own heartbeat and the room was suddenly so suffocatingly still, like nothing had ever happened. He couldn't tear his eyes from the spot Doug had been only seconds before. Suddenly the door swung open again and Leon was standing there, but Dylas barely acknowledged his presence.

"Why the long face? It's not a great look for you." Leon's expression was absent of the usual smirk, his voice lacking the typical teasing lilt.

"To be honest, I don't know. I don't fucking know." Dylas shrugged and finally raised his head to see surprisingly empathetic blue eyes.

"Try to explain it. Maybe I can help you sort it out." He pulled out a metal chair and sat down, resting his hands on his knees. 

"There's nothing to sort out. Quit sitting there like it's fucking story time," he growled.

"Go on, talk to me. I won't say a word to anyone." Leon looked and sounded sincere but he was still wary of trying to open up to him.

"Yeah, right. Not even to Meg?" he asked skeptically.

"Not even to Meg. I promise. I don't use those two words lightly." His tone was serious and he held his gaze until Dylas had to glance away. Sometimes it felt like Leon could see through him.

"We're about to open, anyway. I don't want to talk here."

"Let me know when and where. I give better advice than you probably imagine."

"...Fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working on more Doug/Dylas, I sweaaaaar. I know it's slow going. Oh and I couldn't resist making Venti be Frey's mom, hahaha.


	10. Tempura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Here." Dylas' voice was soft, a far cry from the last time Doug heard it, as he placed the steaming tempura bowl in front of him. Even the way he moved was different, less hurried and more careful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all of you who have been like, "Okay, enough of the Leon/Frey! Where is the promised Doug/Dylas fluff?!" ... this is for you. Although of course there is still Leon/Frey squeezed in because I can't help myself.
> 
> Also, a special thanks to Quinn_Is_Here for helping to inspire me while I was writing this! I was having mega writer's block before they helped me out.

Doug transported the last crate of produce with his dolly, unloading it just outside the back door of Porco's. He wiped away the sweat that had accumulated on his furrowed brow despite the cold. He was moving as quickly as possible so he could get out of there and promptly crawl in a hole.

Dylas' scathing words were replaying in his mind ad nauseam. He shook his head like it was possible to dislodge them and pour the thoughts out of his ears. If he could, he would stomp on them until they were mere fragments.

The back door squeaked open as he headed back to his truck and he tensed, hesitant to stop and acknowledge whoever it was. If it turned out to be Dylas, he wasn't sure if he could tolerate another irksome conversation without completely blowing up. His hands clenched at his sides.

"Doug." Thankfully it was Leon's voice, although he wasn't in the mood to talk to him, either. "I thought I heard you shouting not too long ago."

"Nah, you must've been hearing things," he lied, plastering what he hoped was a convincing grin on his face as he turned around.

"Doubtful. You have a very loud and distinctive voice," Leon teased before glancing down at the crates of produce quizzically. "You usually bring these inside."

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just not feeling very well." He shoved his hands in his pockets and nudged a pebble with his shoe.

"Does that mean you're not going to stay for dinner and drinks, either?" Leon crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, sounding surprised.

"Not tonight."

"That will be the first Friday in ages, then. Are you sure it's because you're not feeling well?"

"Just leave me alone, okay? I'm not in the mood to talk," he sighed, glancing away. Leon was never shy about trying to get to the bottom of things, and in times like this, Doug really didn't appreciate it.

"Dylas isn't, either. It seems you're both out of sorts tonight…" His tone was thoughtful but after knowing him for years, Doug recognized the subtle attempt at manipulation.

"Just drop it. I'm going home."

"All right, then. See you later." Leon finally conceded and propped the door open before walking back inside.

He was probably going to ask Dylas to help him bring the crates inside, so Doug strode to his truck and climbed into the driver's seat. He had left it idling so it would stay warm and he hovered his hands over the vents, thawing out his frozen fingers.

As he prepared to pull out of the parking lot, he glanced in the rearview mirror and caught Dylas staring toward his truck while wearing a blank expression. Doug wanted to imagine he looked guilty. _Was_ that guilt that had flashed across his pale face?

* * *

"Dylas… hey, Dylas."

He nearly stumbled as a large hand thumped him on the back, snapping him out of the trance he had failed to even realize he was in. He turned to glare at Leon who, since they were of similar height, was eye level with him and regarding him knowingly. Dylas had the feeling of being transparent again.

"What the hell? Was that really necessary?"

"I was worried that the brain snatchers got you," Leon teased, kneeling to pick up a box of eggs. "Where were you just then?"

"You look like you already know, judging by your smug expression." He rolled his eyes and tipped a crate onto the dolly he had wheeled outside. "Why don't you tell me where I was?"

Leon neglected to answer, which was actually even more aggravating than the alternative. They brought all of the produce inside without further conversation, but of course Leon had to get the last word in before he went back to the bar.

"You should apologize to Doug."

As soon as he was out of sight, Dylas grabbed a perfectly ripe tomato and threw it against the far wall with a satisfying smack. It stuck temporarily before flopping to the floor, and then he almost regretted wasting it.

He spent the rest of his night busily, mostly serving stew and chili due to the especially frigid weather. He occasionally peeked out of the kitchen doors to see if Doug had cooled off and returned for dinner, but he never showed. He tossed several ingredients, the ones he had prepared in advance to make tempura, in the trash.

* * *

Dylas was sitting on the edge of his bed and staring at his phone like it was going to bite him. He sighed and deleted his text message, then reworded it, only to end up deleting it again. Finally, he typed the message to Leon as hastily as he could and hit send.

_Do you have a minute?_

_For you? Always~_

_Don't make me change my mind about talking to you._

_I'm listening._

_Ugh… I don't even know what I'm asking._

_Dylas, let me tell you something. You're self-sabotaging. You're so used to keeping everyone at arm's length that it's become your comfort zone. Push the boundaries and see what happens. Your only obstacle is yourself._

_You sound like a fucking motivational speaker. Do you have a TED talk later?_

_Ha ha, very funny. But you just proved my point. You're still not being introspective right now because you're afraid._

_I'm not afraid, damn it!_

_Then do what you know you need to do._

Dylas took a shuddering breath and tossed his phone on the bed next to him. Leon saw right through him, just as he suspected. Dylas had realized that exact same thing about himself not too long ago, watching everyone enjoy themselves at Meg's party. His only obstacle truly was himself.

* * *

This was the first time Frey had been to Porco's since she and Leon started sleeping together, and as she greeted their friends, she felt like she was harboring a massive secret. It was nobody's business, but as close as they all were, it still felt strange to pretend she and Leon were platonic.

Meg's band was performing their last song and her melodic voice filled the room. The place was packed to the point that there were no more seats left, so she was glad the others had already secured a table. She squeezed in at the bar and was struck by the memory of when she first saw Leon, on a night much like this one, scarcely over two months ago.

He moved almost fluidly from one customer to the next, his hands in constant motion, somehow managing to hold conversations simultaneously. Dolce was alongside him, filling orders just as smoothly and looking flawless in her dark purple dress and black boots. Frey briefly wondered if she was dating anyone--she wasn't exactly an open book.

Leon's mouth turned up almost imperceptibly when he worked his way around to her, his cerulean eyes zeroing in on her face. As usual the intensity of his gaze made her involuntarily shiver, and she bit the inside of her cheek in an effort to keep herself from smiling too widely.

"Hi, _stranger_ ," he purred slyly, keeping his voice low and smooth. "I've never seen you before and I have no idea what you like to drink."

"That's a little much," she tittered, rolling her eyes at him. "Just don't touch me and no one will suspect a thing."

He apparently decided he would immediately test that boundary because he planted his hand on her head and ruffled her hair thoroughly. "I've always done this, so it will be more suspicious if I stop."

"Leo," she growled, combing her disheveled tresses with her fingers. She saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and froze. "Hey, don't look, but Doug is here."

"So it only took him a week to come back. That's a good sign."

"Should I go talk to him? Try to feel him out?"

"I think I'm starting to crack Dylas but Doug has been resistant to my charms so far. Maybe he'll let his guard down around you since you're so little and cute."

"Geez, thanks for having confidence in me, I guess." She glowered at him. "Oh, and I want one of those local beers we had the other night."

"Ah, the one I gave you after we--" He was looking at her with fiery mischief in his eyes, like he was daring her to let him finish his sentence.

"Shut up! You're really bad at this," she whispered sharply, blushing. She highly doubted anyone could hear them or was even paying attention in the first place, but still.

"Get over there. I'll bring you and Doug a beer."

She shuffled back through the throng of people and made her way to where Doug was seated. He saw her approaching and looked up with a smile, which she noticed didn't quite reach his gray eyes. 

"Hey, Frey. What's up?"

"I thought I'd come see if you need company," she replied cheerfully, snagging the recently vacated stool next to him.

"Uh, sure! I just ordered food so I'm waiting on that." He raised his voice because the place erupted in cheers as Meg's band vacated the stage.

Leon popped the caps on two beers and handed one to each of them, holding onto Frey's just long enough that their fingers touched. She subtly narrowed her eyes at him, ignoring the tingle that raced up her arm, and he smirked as he turned away. She was going to smack him soon.

"So what's going on between you and Leon?" Doug asked with a grin, sipping his beer.

She froze, in disbelief that he had struck before her--she was supposed to be the one getting information out of him! And why did he suspect something in the first place? Had he noticed that brief contact? She didn't think it had been that obvious. She decided to play it cool.

"Other than him constantly annoying me, nothing," she laughed, hoping that was believable. "Why would you think something is going on?"

"Eh, well… he's pretty flirty with everyone, but especially with you." He shrugged, nursing his beverage. "And I noticed he's not surrounding himself with women anymore lately, which is rare."

"Maybe he's just taking a break," she replied casually, drinking deeply so she had an extra moment to think. "So what about you? Seeing anyone?"

"Are you asking if I'm available?" He smiled cheekily.

"No offense, but I don't think we're each other's type."

"Yeah, maybe not…" He trailed off thoughtfully and she wondered if he was thinking about Dylas.

Just then, the purple-haired chef himself exited the kitchen with what appeared to be a perfectly executed bowl of tempura, and she practically jumped out of her chair. She grabbed her beer off of the counter and backed away.

"Oh, the girls are motioning to me at the table," she fibbed. "Let me go see what they want."

Doug didn't even seem to hear her.

* * *

"Here." Dylas' voice was soft, a far cry from the last time Doug heard it, as he placed the steaming tempura bowl in front of him. Even the way he moved was different, less hurried and more careful.

"Thanks," he replied just as quietly, immediately noticing that the dish was even more beautifully presented than normal. He didn't dare mention it, despite how inexplicably happy it made him feel.

"Look…"

When Dylas didn't continue after several seconds, Doug cautiously raised his eyes from the counter. He was surprised to witness a light blush dusting his cheeks, his amber eyes glancing off to one side. He looked restless, like he was having trouble keeping his feet rooted in that spot.

"I… I shouldn't have said those things last week." His tone was subdued but sincere, although he still didn't quite make eye contact. 

"No, you shouldn't have." Doug felt his voice quiver but he willed himself to stay strong. He picked at the paper label on the side of his beer bottle. "You keep sending me mixed signals. I don't know what you want from me."

"To be honest… I don't know, either." Dylas' chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, finally meeting his eyes.

They gazed at each other for a brief second, then they both glanced away in the next. Doug's heart felt like it was lodged in his throat, a feeling he had become well acquainted with recently--it always happened when Dylas met his eyes, and then he became afraid that the slightest misstep would break the spell. He didn't trust that the previous week would be the last time they tore each other apart, yet somehow hope was still welling up in his chest.

"I want to know what you think of that," Dylas said shyly, motioning to the dish that was beginning to cool. He shifted his weight anxiously and the corner of his mouth tilted up ever so slightly. "I hope you don't mind… I tried something a little different."

* * *

Leon dropped into the chair next to Frey and she bit her lip as she felt his hand sneak up her leg, coming to a rest on her inner thigh. His fingers drew lazy circles there, and even though she was wearing jeans, his caresses were tantalizing. She gulped and willed herself not to react outwardly, although she was helpless against the warmth that spread across her cheeks.

Since he showed no signs of stopping and she was having trouble keeping her composure, she picked her phone up off of the table and keyed in a text. His phone chimed in his pocket and thankfully he had to withdraw his hand in order to check it. 

_Stop touching me!_

_;)_

_You're the worst._

_I predict your tune will change later._

Frey flushed and kicked him under the table as everyone waited impatiently, trying not to stare too obviously in Doug and Dylas' direction. Finally the crowd dispersed somewhat, revealing that Dylas was still standing across the counter from Doug, and they all glanced away except Amber--she had the best view.

"They're still talking, yes?" Xiao Pai asked curiously, since her back was to the bar.

"Yep," Amber chirped, inconspicuously glancing up for a split second.

"If I could just be a fly on the wall right now!" Meg sighed and tapped her well-manicured nails on the table.

"Can you see their expressions, Amber? Do they look mad?" Frey asked eagerly.

"Oh no, someone's in the way again! I can't see over their heads." Amber pouted and leaned to one side, and then she looked surprised. A slow smile spread across her face. "Actually, they look... hmm..."

"Tell us!" Meg begged, grasping the smaller girl's shoulder and shaking her. 

"They look… happy!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's still a painfully slow burn but I hope that quelled your appetites for now! Let me know how you feel about it... I'm curious.


	11. Identities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shut up," Dylas whispered harshly. His face immediately turned crimson. "Why would you say something like that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Sex is mentioned but not described.
> 
> Special thanks for some great ideas: Klefiki/Kiwi, Quinn_is_Here, and Olive!
> 
> Oh-ho-ho... this one is a rollercoaster of emotions.

Frey dug her hands into the damp soil, breathing in the earthy aroma. It was probably her favorite smell in the world, and although planting and harvesting was taxing work, it relaxed her like nothing else. Her mind didn't wander when she was absorbed like this; her typically rapid thoughts simply let her be.

She was so grateful that she didn't have to spend every work day stuck inside. This job was the best of both worlds, allowing her to make decisions to improve the local farms as well as physically participate in their development. Her passion for it grew exponentially every single day.

As luck would have it, she was visiting Sincerity Farm that morning, working in one of their sprawling greenhouses. It was the Monday after Doug and Dylas' apparent change of heart at the bar, and on the way there, she had dreamt up ways to coax Doug into opening up to her. She didn't feel confident that he would, but she was going to try regardless.

"Thanks for all of your help, Frey." Doug's tone was grateful as he grinned at her and the corners of his eyes crinkled merrily. She noticed his smile looked genuine again.

"You're welcome!" she replied cheerfully as they stood in the shade beneath a large oak tree. It was cold outside but it felt refreshing after sweating in the humidity all morning. "And actually, you're doing me a huge favor by letting me work here. I love getting my hands dirty."

"You probably played in the dirt every day while you were growing up, huh? I did, too."

"Yep! Just about. My mom had me out in the field with her as soon as I could walk."

"Same," he laughed, gazing out over the farm and drinking from his water bottle. "I remember hating it sometimes, but now I'm glad my family pushed me into it."

"It's rewarding work," she chirped with an enthusiastic nod. "You can literally see the fruits of your labor."

"And pick them, too," he added with a chuckle.

"Exactly!" She hadn't expected to be such fast friends with Doug. It was refreshing to talk to someone who understood her line of work.

"Hey, Frey... do you mind if I ask you for some advice?" He rubbed the back of his head and suddenly seemed restless, shifting his weight. "It's, uh… not related to farming at all."

"Sure, I'll do my best to help." She tried not to sound too eager, hoping he was about to reveal something about Dylas.

"Well… I want to ask someone out and I'm not really sure how to go about it," he said sheepishly as his cheeks took on a pink hue. "Usually it just kind of… I don't know, happens."

"Oh! Well…" She strove to think of the best possible answer and her pulse quickened. If she gave him bad advice, it could potentially knock him and Dylas back several steps. "I guess it depends on what type of person you're asking. Do they like grand gestures or small ones?"

"Uh, they don't exactly like being the center of attention."

"Well if that's the case, maybe you can tell them in private. I can help you come up with something to say."

"There aren't many opportunities for us to be alone, though. And if I invite them somewhere, they will definitely be suspicious."

"What about the costume party at Porco's on Friday night? If they'll be there already, maybe you can pull them aside at some point."

"Hmm… that just might work. But then how do I ask them?"

"Sometimes it's best to be direct." As soon as the words left her mouth, she thought of her own predicament.

* * *

Leon visited her house for the first time that Wednesday and they wordlessly went straight to her bedroom, stripping their clothing along the way. When they were both satiated, she turned onto her side away from him, accustomed to him almost immediately distancing himself after sex.

It always felt like a switch flipped. He was so attentive during the act, but afterward, when most couples would cuddle and bask in the afterglow, he left the room. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't made for this type of arrangement. She was starting to crave more intimacy, not to mention that hiding the nature of their friendship from everyone was getting old fast.

In the beginning, it had been easy to convince herself that she wouldn't develop feelings for him. She had been so sure that they could just sleep together, no strings attached--essentially friends with benefits--and that they could go on like that for the foreseeable future. But now, several weeks later, she already had a feeling their arrangement would end badly. She fell harder for him every time he looked at her, while he seemed to grow more distant.

There was a substantial part of her that wanted to stay by his side, whatever that entailed, just to be his refuge. The palpable sorrow that took hold of him from time to time, which he probably thought no one noticed, was harrowing to witness. But she knew she had to take care of herself, too. There had to be a balance.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't realize he was still in bed until he hooked a long arm around her narrow waist. His broad chest pressed snugly against her back and she felt him settle his head on the pillow above hers. The only time he had reached for her like that was the very first time they had slept together, and he had quickly withdrawn. She braced herself for a similar outcome.

"How was your day?" They hadn't talked to each other at all except for a few words they had cried out in the throes of passion, so she was surprised when he spoke. His voice was warm and soft next to her ear.

"Um…" She was so taken aback that she had trouble forming her thoughts for a moment, and her chest felt tight enough that she had to remind herself to breathe. "It was kind of crazy, actually. Really busy office day. How was yours?"

"Not ideal, but it ended well." He sounded fatigued, like he might fall asleep mid sentence. 

"I'm sorry… I'm glad I could help at the end, though." She wanted to say more but her confused brain wasn't cooperating and she couldn't find the words.

"You always do," he murmured, and the arm that was draped over her tightened ever so slightly. 

Scarcely a minute later, she could feel his chest rising and falling rhythmically against her back, and she realized he was asleep. The heat of his body was so soothing that she found herself drifting off, as well, and the last thought that crossed her mind was whether or not he would be there when she woke up.

* * *

Leon was startled awake and his heart thumped in his chest as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The soft, warm body cuddled against his chest didn't have wavy black hair or smell of jasmine. She wasn't Maria. It had been a dream.

He carefully slipped out from underneath the woman with green hair who smelled of citrus, and she whimpered quietly in her sleep as she turned over. His body was tense with remorse as he sat on the edge of her bed with his head in his hands. It had been months since he had dreamt of his late fiance and the timing didn't seem coincidental.

He considered that it was likely his own guilty conscience that had caused him to dream of her, but even still, it was a sign that he still wasn't ready to move forward. She had felt _real_ \--so painfully real--and waking up was like losing her all over again on a smaller scale. He roughly ran his fingers through his hair and stood.

Hastily but quietly, he dressed as soon as he managed to gather his scattered clothing. He hadn't meant to stay the night, anyway, especially since the dogs would need to be let out soon. It was already 3:00 AM.

He didn't want to leave her door unlocked, nor wake her to lock it behind him, so he opened her garage. He ducked beneath it on his way out, making sure it shut securely before climbing into his truck. When he leaned back against the seat, he sighed heavily. He knew this time was actually going to hurt.

* * *

Dylas hadn't felt this nervous before work in years, not since his first week or so at Porco's, but now he couldn't manage to quell the anxiety dwelling in the pit of his stomach. Normally he was safe, hidden back in his kitchen--his cave, as Leon liked to call it--where he could easily avoid socializing. But not tonight, when he felt so… unsettled.

They were providing buffet style party food and he had prepared everything in advance, meaning his only responsibilities were replenishing the trays and eventually cleaning up later. He couldn't exactly hide back in his cave since he needed to keep an eye on things.

He carried a basket of condiments over to the buffet table, noticing that Leon and Dolce were already behind the bar, probably making sure they were prepared for the onslaught. Dolce was dressed to the nines, Halloween being her favorite holiday, and had applied her makeup to resemble a marionette.

Leon hadn't dressed up for the last few years but had apparently changed his tune tonight, wearing some sort of Egyptian garb. With his skin tone and field of study, it suited him, although Dylas suspected it was partly an excuse for him to be practically shirtless.

Dylas, himself, had decided against wearing a costume as usual. Knowing Meg, though, she was going to stick a mask or a pair of ears on him--she did something like that every year, much to his irritation. She was always undeterred and wouldn't give up until every employee was wearing at least one accessory.

"Oh, Dylas~" Leon sang from the bar, and he knew that wasn't a good sign. He had that mischievous glint in his eyes when he glanced up at him.

"What?" he asked warily, hesitantly walking towards the bar.

"Truth or dare?"

"No." He knew he should have ignored him.

"Come on, you know it's our tradition that you can't opt out of this game on Halloween. Pick or I'll pick for you."

"You're an idiot. Fine… dare." There were too many things he wanted to avoid answering a question about right now, and at least most of Leon's dares were only temporarily embarrassing.

"Well… I just happened to notice that you're lacking a costume." The smirk he wore was very telling.

"I'm not dressing up." He leaned on the counter and crossed his arms on top of the wooden surface, leveling him with an exasperated look. "I will knock that ridiculous turban off your head if you try to make me."

"Now, now. Just wait a second. You haven't even seen it yet," he replied silkily.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"I'll tell you if you ask me truth or dare, and then only if I pick truth, which I never do."

"Damn it, Leon..."

* * *

Doug was barely able to contain his grin as he walked through the front door of Porco's, having to carefully navigate the door. It was already crowded even though it had just opened half an hour ago, and people snickered at him as his costume inevitably brushed and bumped against them.

He bumbled straight to the bar and awkwardly leaned against it, realizing it was impossible to sit in one of the stools. Leon and Dolce hadn't noticed him yet, only because their backs were turned as they mixed drinks. As soon as Leon spun back around, holding two Halloween themed cocktails, he did a double take and burst out laughing.

"Doug, I couldn't have planned this better myself," Leon marveled after he delivered the cocktails to a pair of giggling fairies. "You have no idea how happy you just made me."

"What? Why?" He raised an eyebrow curiously. "Nice costume, yourself, by the way. If your goal was to have everyone stare at you tonight, you've succeeded."

"You'll see," Leon replied cryptically, deftly pouring another drink as he spoke. "And luckily I'm too busy to notice how many eyes are on me. I'm shy."

"Yeah, right," Doug laughed with a roll of his eyes. "Where's everyone else?"

"Besides those of us who are working tonight, I guess the others are going to be fashionably late. Or I just haven't seen them yet." He handed another cocktail off, which was bright green and garnished with gummy worms. "Drink?"

"I'll just have a beer or two while I wait for the others," he answered, never having been one for mixed drinks. He couldn't wait for them to see his ridiculous costume.

* * *

Dylas was refilling a tray of the appetizer that was apparently the most popular so far, sweet and sour meatballs, while he thought about removing the stupid horse hat for the tenth time. Leon kept glancing over at him and pointing sternly with a smug expression, silently commanding him to keep wearing it or else. He wasn't sure what the 'or else' was, but he didn't particularly want to find out.

At least every single person there was wearing a costume, too, so no one even gave him a second glance. His was pretty boring compared to most of them, especially the obnoxiously orange monstrosity that was currently approaching the buffet table. Only the face was visible, which wore an exuberant expression… a very familiar one.

"Why… why are you dressed as a carrot?" He found himself biting back a smile. He barely managed to suppress it, as goofy as the short redhead looked. 

"I thought it would be funny since I'm always calling you a horse… but I didn't expect you to be dressed as one," he laughed, gripping his sides through the cumbersome costume. "That's awesome."

"I'm sure Leon put you up to this to make fun of me. I'm taking this stupid thing off." Dylas reached for the plush horse and started to yank it off of his head.

"No, wait! He really didn't, I swear. It was my own idea. I didn't even tell anyone what my costume was." Doug blushed as he tentatively stood on his tiptoes, reaching up to adjust Dylas' headwear. "And… you look pretty cute in this."

"Shut up," Dylas whispered harshly. His face immediately turned crimson. "Why would you say something like that?"

"Well, I have had a few drinks," he admitted with a grin, flashing a row of white teeth. "So my filter is…"

"Nonexistent," Dylas finished for him, clearing his throat and glancing away. He wished he could disappear through the wall to hide his embarrassment. "It feels like we're being watched again."

They both snapped their heads to the side, and sure enough, a very elf-like Meg was staring at them. She was holding a drink tray next to a round table, at which the following were seated: a warrior princess, a knight, a butterfly, and a panda--all of which were also gawking at them.

"Damn it, what are they looking at?" He huffed and shot the group his most hateful glare before turning away, wondering how obviously flushed his face was. It felt so hot that he was uncomfortable.

"I mean, we do make quite a pair," Doug laughed, his gray eyes brimming with mirth. "I would stare at us, too."

"That's because you're an idiot, short stack," he replied, but it didn't sound the way he meant it to, nor did it have the same impact it usually did. Doug just smiled widely at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The party is not over! I just cut it at a suspenseful part because I'm evil! Let me know what you think and as always, I hope you enjoyed it~


	12. Backwards and Forwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What?” Her tone was dismissive, like she was ready for the conversation to be over. “I don’t want to be someone else you just use and throw away when you get bored."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None for this chapter.
> 
> Special thanks: Too many people on the RF discord to mention. I love all of you, omgah! So many wonderful ideas and help with Doug.
> 
> Also, the view count on all of my fics suddenly exploded over the last few days and I'm really curious where all of you are coming from?!

Lately, if Leon glimpsed Frey when he wasn't prepared to, his heart lurched within the confines of his chest and he could feel his blood rushing hotly through his veins. Those gorgeous green eyes did something indescribable to him when he caught her gaze from across the room. It was especially pronounced tonight, maybe because he was trying so desperately to suppress it.

Her eyes proceeded to entrance him now, when he happened to glance up as he poured a drink, which he had done countless times before without issue. It was a practiced motion that he didn't even have to think about, but suddenly Dolce was snatching the bottle of vodka out of his hand and looking at him like he had two heads. The clear alcohol splashed across the counter, splattering onto the tile floor… as well as Dolce’s patchwork dress.

"Are you sick or something?" Her eyebrows scarcely raised and her mouth turned downward ever so slightly, her tone somewhere between surprised and annoyed. She set the bottle down and grabbed two bar rags, tossing one to him and attempting to dry her dress with the other.

“I was just making sure you were paying attention,” he chuckled, winking cheekily at her and pretending to be unbothered. Inside, however, he was mortified by his blunder. He could feel heat rising to his cheeks.

“ _You’re_ the one who was distracted,” she replied evenly, shooting him a sidelong glance. Her sardonic grin was subtle, in stark contrast to her burgundy-colored eyes, which were magnified by her spooky makeup. “See someone in a sexy costume?”

“You caught me. Couldn’t resist ogling that sasquatch over there.” He finished wiping down the bar and then blotted at her dress with a clean rag, but she shooed his hands away.

“Liar.” Her tone was flat and she gave him another searching look before turning to take a drink order. “You're lucky that vodka is clear and doesn't stain, otherwise I'd have your head.”

He released the struggling breath he was holding, cursing himself before pouring the ruined drink down the drain. He couldn’t believe he had allowed himself to become so preoccupied by Frey, but _damn_ \--she was especially cute in her princess costume, her green hair drawn up into long twintails and graced by a bejeweled crown. She was wearing leather armor over her short dress, like some kind of warrior princess, and it took everything he had not to glance up at her again. He felt compelled to look, like an invisible force was lifting his chin.

With a considerable amount of effort, he managed to control himself and stay focused on his task this time. He mixed at least a dozen more cocktails before Dolce tapped him on the shoulder, motioning for him to take a break while Clorica stood in for him. Dolce had been training her after hours and she was learning quickly, although they frequently had to snap their fingers in front of her face to wake her up.

Leon typically went to sit with friends during his break, but tonight he was conflicted. Frey would understandably have questions about his absence for the last couple of days--he hadn’t responded to any of her texts since he left her house in the middle of the night--and she probably felt like he ghosted her.

Knowing her, she would pretend like everything was fine while the others were around, then confront him privately later. And honestly, when that moment came, he was feeling apprehensive about what he needed to tell her. He decided to go say hello to everyone and feel her out.

"Ah, but of course Forte is a knight. So valiant as always," he teased as he approached the group.

Meg had moved on to another table, since she was working, but the rest of the girls were there--Forte the knight, Xiao Pai the panda, Amber the butterfly, and Frey… who kept stealing his breath straight from his lungs. The petite warrior princess avoided his gaze and buried her face in her phone.

"I noticed that you're not very good at mixing drinks in costume." Forte snapped her head up and didn't miss a beat, leveling him with an icy blue stare. "It looked like you spilled half a bottle of booze over there."

He sighed and rolled his eyes playfully before gazing down at her through lowered lashes, showing her his lopsided smile. “If you must know, your cute costume distracted me.”

"W-what?" Forte stammered, glaring at him, but she glanced away as a blush crawled up her neck. "Cute?"

"So even Forte isn't immune to Leon's charms," Xiao Pai observed with a giggle.

"I'm just upset that he called my costume cute! That's not exactly what I was going for…" The blonde's blush deepened.

“For what it’s worth, I think you look fierce!” Amber patted Forte’s armored shoulder enthusiastically. 

"Hey, Leo," Meg called with a suspicious smile as she returned to their table. Pointed elf ears were sticking up through her meticulously styled hair. "Truth or dare?" 

"Dare," he replied without hesitation, looking her in the eyes challengingly.

"Spill another drink.” She laughed and readjusted her tray in her arms.

"Geez, did everyone witness that? Thanks for being so distracting, Forte,” he scoffed, and she merely rolled her eyes and resumed talking to Amber.

He considered for a moment, wondering how to best use this dare to his advantage, and then it clicked as Frey warily set eyes on him. Before she could react, he leaned across the table and nudged her half-full cocktail with one finger, knocking it onto its side. The green contents of the glass pooled on the table and dripped into her lap.

"Oops, let's go get you cleaned up," he chuckled as he righted the glass.

"Leo, what the--Meg!" Frey crossed her arms in aggravation, glancing back and forth between the two of them with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry! I didn't mean for him to spill one of _our_ drinks.” Meg glared at him, too, and set her tray down on the table away from the spill.

"Clean that up for me, Meg, will you please?" He used the sweetest tone he could muster as he took Frey’s gloved hand and pulled her up from her chair.

“I’ll do it for Frey,” Meg replied with a scowl, wagging her finger at him. “You better apologize to her. I know the word ‘sorry’ isn’t typically in your vocabulary.”

“Yes, mother Margaret,” he sang, barely dodging the cocktail olive she tossed at him in retaliation.

As he pushed through the crowd with Frey in tow, he noticed that she wasn’t gripping his hand in return like she normally would, just allowing him to hold onto hers. She was probably even more upset than he realized, and suddenly he felt nervous. He might have to take Meg’s advice, after all.

"Leo, what the hell?" Dolce's normally passive expression was much sharper, now, and she glowered at him as he led Frey behind the bar and toward the kitchen. "If spilling drinks on us is this year’s Halloween prank, it's your worst idea so far."

"Dolly, I can’t believe you would think so little of me.” He feigned sadness as he held the kitchen door open for Frey. 

“But you did do it on purpose,” Frey growled, squinting her eyes at him as she reluctantly walked through the door.

He followed her closely, and when the doors shut behind them, she didn’t turn around. She had her back to him as he grabbed a fresh towel and approached her, hugging her from behind. He could feel her tense up and she broke free from his arms, spinning around with turmoil brewing in her large green eyes.

“So you ignore me for two days after you leave my house without saying goodbye, spill a drink on me, and the first thing you do when we’re alone is try to hug me?” Her tone was indignant and her hands were on her hips as she stared him down.

“I didn’t mean to ignore you." He had expected her to be upset with him, but now he realized he had definitely gone about this the wrong way. The tension in the air was palpable.

“How can you say you didn’t mean to? How hard is it to return a text?” She abruptly sighed and shook her head, glancing away with an exasperated look on her face. “Great, now I’m starting to sound like that girl you were seeing before.”

“Frey--” He started to reach for her again but quickly decided against it. He still held the towel he was planning to use to dry her dress, but that had fallen to the wayside now. He tossed it onto the counter.

“What?” Her tone was dismissive, like she was ready for the conversation to be over. “I don’t want to be someone else you just use and throw away when you get bored."

“ _Frey,_ ” he repeated, taking a deep breath. “It's not the same. I genuinely like you, but I’ve been struggling with something. I needed time to think.”

“About what?” Her eyes were still fiery but she seemed to cool off some, lowering her voice.

"About us." He forced himself to meet her expectant gaze despite how uncomfortable it was right now. "I realized how inconsistently I've been treating you. I'm either pulling you toward me or pushing you away at any given moment."

"Yes… it's definitely felt that way." She nodded softly and worried her lip, a habit that always made him want to kiss her. He needed to find a way to suppress that impulse.

"I had to come to terms with the reality I've been avoiding… I still haven't healed after losing Maria. I feel guilty almost every time you and I are together." He sighed heavily and shifted his weight, attempting to ignore the tightness in his chest.

"I thought that might be the case… lately you've seemed more distant than ever." Her tone was pensive and she glanced off to the side, fidgeting with one of her gloves.

"It's so difficult whenever I see you. Even right now, I want to kiss you…" He stepped forward and cautiously cupped her face in his hands, stroking the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs. She blinked up at him with wide eyes and the confusion in them was evident. 

"Leo… what do you want?" she breathed. Her mouth was in such close proximity to his that he could smell the sweetness of her earlier cocktail on her breath.

He dropped his hands back to his sides and pressed his forehead against hers. His voice was scarcely above a whisper. "What I want is… not to be crushed by this guilt anymore. But I think it's just a burden I have to bear at this point, and it's impossible for anyone to help me shoulder it. So I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"I… I'll respect that, but… we'll still be friends, right?" Her tone was subdued but she managed to crack a smile and laugh softly. "You'll still let me come visit Sano and Uno?"

"Of course."

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. The sensation of her petite figure pressed against him was immensely comforting, instantly calming his nerves, and he returned her embrace eagerly. Her small hands soothingly rubbed up and down his back and he tucked his face against her neck, breathing in the citrusy aroma that was so familiar to him now. She held him impossibly closer and, at least in that moment, he felt like things might be okay.

* * *

The clock finally struck midnight and Dylas started to clean up the buffet table as customers trickled out of the door. The others began helping him, as well, bussing tables and collecting discarded napkins from the floor. Everyone was apparently very eager to get out of there and attend the afterparty at Meg’s house.

“Are you coming to Meg’s?” Doug asked him, still wearing the ridiculous carrot costume. Dylas had trouble taking him seriously with it on--or ever, really.

“I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.” He shrugged noncommittally and removed a mostly empty tray of jalapeno poppers from the table, carrying it into the kitchen.

Doug followed him through the swinging doors, carrying the last of the cupcakes with him, and thumped them down on the counter. “You should come! It’s going to be a blast!”

“A blast, huh? I don’t know… I’m pretty tired.” He honestly was. It had been a long night.

“Come onnn. I’ll give you a ride,” the redhead pleaded, then stepped just in front of him and raised his arms. “I can’t drive in this bulky-ass costume, though. Can you help me out of it?”

“Do you have clothes on underneath?” Dylas felt a trickle of sweat drip down the side of his face, and whether it was from the exertion of cleaning the restaurant or Doug’s proximity, he couldn’t be sure.

“Will you be disappointed if I do?” Doug laughed, grinning so brightly that Dylas was temporarily stunned.

“What?!” He balked when he comprehended his words, instantly blushing. “N-no, I just wanted to make sure. That would be pretty awkward if someone else walked into the kitchen and you were, uh... naked.”

“Nah, don’t worry. I’m not looking to start even more rumors about us."

“Yeah… that’s the last thing we need. Everyone stares at us enough already,” he replied with an exasperated sigh. He yanked the carrot costume over Doug’s head, revealing a mop of disheveled red hair.

“Why, do you think…?” He took the costume from Dylas and searched his amber eyes while he folded it under his arm.

“Uh…” The blush that was already staining his cheeks turned darker still. “Maybe--”

Dolce pushed through the door in her heeled boots, which loudly announced her presence in the otherwise quiet room, carrying a basket of condiments. Clorica was alongside her with another empty tray. “This is the last of it.”

“Oh, okay. Uh, just put it over here,” Dylas stammered, still flustered by his conversation with Doug. He motioned toward the last empty spot on the counter. “You two can go on ahead. I’ll finish the dishes.”

"All right, if you insist," Clorica replied with a sleepy smile, her chocolate-colored eyes half lidded.

“I’m glad you took off that awful carrot costume.” Dolce shook her head at Doug and set the condiments on the counter as directed, and Clorica followed with the tray.

"I thought it suited him," the purple-haired girl giggled, adjusting her braid. "Don't take too long and miss the party!"

"We'll see you there," Dolce said blandly as they exited the room, side by side. The sound of their footsteps slowly dissipated.

“Just so you know, the carrot is going back on as soon as we get to Meg’s,” Doug laughed, but Dylas crossed his arms and shot him a discouraging look.

“I think it should stay in the car. No way I’m wearing this stupid horse head any longer.” He finally yanked it off his head and held it under his other arm.

“Aww, man. You’re no fun,” Doug pouted.

“Don’t care.” Dylas set the costume pieces down on a nearby chair and resumed working on the dishes.

“It’s Halloween. You can’t go to a Halloween party without a costume!” Doug was adamant as he helped pack up the extra food that they were planning on taking with them.

“Again… I don’t care.” He was arguing just to argue, now, and he felt an amused smile tugging at his lips.

“Pfft, fine. Do you still want a ride or are you going to be a drag?” Doug rolled his gray eyes and stood next to him at the large sink, nudging him with his elbow.

“I guess I’ll ride with you… if I get in my own car, I’m just going to drive straight home," he replied, ignoring the chill that shot up his arm as a result of the brief contact.

“You would! Come on, it’s going to be fun," the redhead insisted again, glowering at him and flicking soap suds in Dylas' direction.

“You keep saying that, but I'm still not convinced...” 

“Shut up and let’s just go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY HEART
> 
> L&F taking steps backward while D&D take steps forward... next chapter will be Meg's after-party and who knows what will happen. Might be fun ;)


	13. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s tradition, though. I’ll be forced to tell Leon if you don’t play, ya know.” The threat was looming in Doug's expectant eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None (look at me, not writing smut... for now).
> 
> Special thanks: My peeps on the RF discord again. The absolute best inspiration.
> 
> This chapter changes POV several times. And I'm really such a tease~

Normally he would have given her a quick kiss--or a lingering one--before they got out of his truck. The abrupt change in the nature of their relationship was painful to swallow, but she managed to smile at him when he helped her down. It was sleeting and Meg’s driveway looked slippery in some spots, so he offered her his arm until they reached the front porch. She missed his touch more than ever as he released her and opened the door. His cerulean eyes lingered on her for a moment like he wanted to say something, but he didn't.

The party was already ramping up and she could hear laughter emanating from the living room, so she gravitated toward it. She decided against waiting for Leon as he walked back outside to grab beer from the truck. They tended to stay apart when they were in public, anyway, and they also withheld their affection while in the view of others--so that wasn’t new, but coming to terms with the prospect of never being intimate with him again was jarring.

As she entered the living room, she forced a vibrant smile and Meg immediately latched onto her arm, pulling her down on the couch next to her. The other girls were already present, sipping on cocktails that Dolce had apparently made, because she handed her one of the fruity concoctions. She drank gratefully, seeking to numb her emotions a bit, and tried to relax.

“Truth or dare, Frey?” were the first words out of Meg’s mouth as she grinned expectantly at her.

“Huh? Just out of the blue like that?” Frey arched a delicate eyebrow in confusion, taking another sip of her drink.

“We always play on Halloween,” Amber explained, leaning forward and smiling brightly. “Whenever the mood strikes. You can only ask each person one time, though.”

“And unfortunately for all of us, Leon decided to make it a rule that you can’t decline on Halloween,” Forte added with a roll of her eyes.

“Well… what happens if you decline?” Frey asked, furrowing her brow. “He can’t make anyone answer if they don’t want to.”

"Oh, but he can," Dolce replied cryptically. The corner of her mouth tilted upward and Clorica widened her sleepy eyes in agreement next to her.

“His pranks are worse, yes?” Xiao Pai glanced around at the other girls and they nodded in confirmation.

“Yeah. If you don’t play, he’ll find a way to scare you or embarrass you over the course of the night. Last year, he put a super realistic fake roach on my plate when I wasn’t looking.” Meg shuddered. “Ugh! I was so freaked out and disgusted that I threw my plate, which broke and scattered food everywhere. I thought he would never stop laughing.”

“The year before that, when I went to the bathroom upstairs, he hid in one of the bedrooms and made ghost noises. I thought Meg’s house was haunted until the end of the party, when he finally admitted to it.” Forte blushed at the memory, looking ashamed. “At this point, he knows where all of our vulnerable spots are and he capitalizes on them.”

“You have to admit that it’s funny, though,” Amber giggled, antennae bobbing and sparkling with glitter. “He’s always the life of the party.”

“It wouldn’t be as exciting without him, that’s for sure.” Meg laughed and finished her drink, setting her empty glass on the coffee table. She looked pointedly at Frey. “Where is he, anyway? You rode with him, didn’t you?”

“Y-yeah,” she stammered, swirling her drink. She tried to sound casual. “I think he went to carry in beer.”

“Which reminds me, you didn’t answer… truth or dare?” Mirth sparkled in Meg’s eyes and Frey gulped.

“Umm… truth,” Frey answered reluctantly.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Meg tittered, and Frey immediately realized her mistake. “Are you and Leo seeing each other?”

“No!” she squeaked quickly, widening her eyes at her. She was thankful that she could say it honestly, now, since they had just broken things off.

“Are you sure? You two seem awfully close,” Clorica pried, her expression curious.

“And Sano and Uno really like you… you walk them with Leon during lunch at least a couple of times a week, yes?” Xiao Pai didn’t seem to realize the true reason for that, but whether it was intentional or not, she had blown her cover.

"I knew you were the reason for his mishap earlier," Dolce murmured, studying her over the rim of her glass.

“Well none of this is suspicious at all!” Meg gasped. Now she looked convinced, leaning toward her and placing a hand on her arm. Her eyes were wide and inquisitive. “Come on, Frey. Don’t lie!”

“Meg,” Frey whined, sipping her drink and glancing away. Her voice wavered slightly. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh, no.” Meg’s tone was suddenly sympathetic and she patted her shoulder while surveying the room, presumably looking for the man in question. “Did he hurt you? I tried to warn you, Frey. I’ll go give him a piece of my mind!”

“No, no, that’s not necessary.” She couldn’t suppress the blush that spread across her cheeks and she tried to hide behind her glass.

“You should really raise your standards, Frey.” Forte sighed and shook her head, causing her helmet to slip slightly. She reached up and adjusted it.

“I can’t believe I didn’t notice,” Meg marveled, searching her eyes. “I mean, I had my suspicions, but I thought I was just imagining things. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you all warned me about him,” she said honestly, shrugging and biting her lip. “I just thought it would be easier to hide it.”

“So are you two…?” Meg raised her eyebrows and grinned at her, immediately causing her to flush.

“Hey, wait a minute! I already answered a question--several, in fact! My turn is over,” Frey blurted hastily.

“Hurry, Amber! Ask her truth or dare!” Meg exclaimed, shaking Amber’s shoulder.

“I’ll just pick dare this time,” Frey growled. She quickly finished her drink and glowered at Meg over the rim of her glass.

Ironically, Leon saved her by walking into the room at that exact moment. “I brought beer, everyone. It's in the kitchen. I refuse to mix even one more drink tonight.”

“Quitter!” Meg shouted, catching his attention. “I don’t like beer, so what am I supposed to drink?”

“I guess you’ll have to grovel at Dolce’s feet. That, or learn how to mix your own cocktails,” he replied as he sauntered over. “By the way... truth or dare, Meg?”

“Damnit,” Meg muttered, screwing her face up at him. “Dare, I guess.”

He leaned down over the back of the couch and hesitated just long enough to make her sweat. “Go sit in Arthur’s lap without saying anything.”

“What?!” Meg balked and then whimpered, turning red. “Leo, please. Anything but that. At least let me have another drink first!”

“At some point in the next hour,” he granted, smirking down at her. “Or else.”

“I really hate you right now,” she sighed, glancing over at Arthur and turning redder still.

“Everyone does on Halloween. Nothing new.” Leon grinned as he turned away, presumably going to wreak havoc elsewhere, and Frey tried not to stare after him too obviously.

“A beer doesn’t sound so bad, now, after all.” Meg stood up and groaned, shifting her feet restlessly. “I guess we’re about to find out how many I can drink in an hour.”

* * *

“For the last time, I’m not putting it back on,” Dylas growled as Doug parked his car near Meg’s house. The driveway was full and vehicles were spilling out onto the street.

“Dylas… truth or dare?” Doug asked cheekily, picking up the stuffed horse head and turning it over in his hands.

“Goddamnit, that game is so childish. We’re all in our twenties. It's a game for teenagers," he scoffed, running a hand through his long wavy hair.

“It’s tradition, though. I’ll be forced to tell Leon if you don’t play, ya know.” The threat was looming in Doug's expectant eyes.

“Fuck tradition,” Dylas sighed, leaning back against his seat and shooting him a sidelong glance. "Ugh. Truth, I guess."

“I was hoping you’d pick dare, but…” The redhead looked thoughtful, still fidgeting with the horse. He inhaled deeply, like he was gathering his courage. “Why did we--”

“Stop. I know what you’re going to ask. We said we’d never talk about it, remember?” His tone was harsh and he turned his head away, watching sleet hit the pavement.

“I’m tired of pretending it didn’t happen,” Doug mumbled, and Dylas tensed.

  
“It didn’t!” He shoved the car door open and slammed it behind him, burying his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket as he crossed the street. He was so intent on putting distance between himself and Doug that he lost his footing on the driveway and, before he knew it, he was gazing up at the stars. Sleet pelted his face and he threw his arm over his eyes, wincing at the ache in his back.

“I’m not sure if I should help you up or not.” Doug appeared next to his left side, scowling down at him. “Good thing you’re so hard-headed, otherwise you’d probably have a concussion.”

“I don’t need your help,” he grimaced, peeling himself off of the ground. His back hurt but his pride was definitely wounded the worst.

“You okay?” Doug seemed reluctant to ask, although Dylas could sense his concern. 

“I’m fine,” he snarled, even though it hurt like a bitch. He was definitely going to have a sizable bruise the next day.

“Let me help you,” Doug offered, extending his hand. The idiot never quite gave up, despite how badly he treated him.

“Are you joking? You’re half the size of me, pipsqueak. I’d just take you down with me if I fell again.”

“I’m surprised you don’t use that to your advantage.”

“I know I’m kind of an asshole, but even I wouldn’t do that…” He stared down at Doug’s hand, which was still extended toward him, and his cheeks burned when the redhead took the initiative and interlocked their fingers.

“ _Kind of_ an asshole?”

“Shut up.”

* * *

Meg was in the middle of her third beer, choking it down as she leaned against the kitchen counter next to Frey. The bitter, carbonated beverage burned her throat. “I still don’t feel drunk enough yet. How much time do I have?”

“Relax, Meg. It’ll be okay. You still have half an hour.” Her green-haired friend patted her back encouragingly and took a sip of her own beer. “Are you more afraid of how Arthur’s going to react, or how everyone else will?”

“How Arthur will react, I guess.” She groaned, hanging her head. “The thing is, I really like him, but he can be so reserved sometimes. I haven’t figured out how to approach him, especially since he’s my manager, and he’s been training me to take over some responsibilities. If I just go sit in his lap… gosh, how awkward…”

“That does make things… interesting.” Frey cringed and eyed her sympathetically. “Want me to talk to Leo and ask him to change your dare? Maybe he’ll even let you off the hook completely.”

“Do you have that kind of power?” Meg tittered, then grimaced as she drank from her beer.

“Well… maybe not anymore,” Frey mumbled, and this was the first time Meg had seen her look so melancholy.

“What do you mean? What happened between you two? I feel so out of the loop.”

“I don’t even know where to start, honestly.” Frey sighed heavily, staring down at her beer.

“Come on, please tell me. I won’t judge,” she pleaded. “And I need something to take my mind off of Arthur.”

“Okay, well…” Frey bit her lip and her cheeks tinted pink. She sipped her beer again before continuing. “I guess it’s been about a month since we started sleeping together.”

“A whole month?!” She stared at Frey with wide eyes, who looked much more embarrassed as a result. “Sorry! I’m just surprised because you hid it pretty well. I guess you didn’t listen to my advice at all, huh?”

“I did, at first, but one night he drove me home and one thing led to another. Then it became a routine…”

“Like walking the dogs?” Meg giggled, popping the cap on another beer.

“I really do love his dogs! And we actually did walk them… just… after…” She glanced away and chewed her lip.

“So what were you going to say earlier? Did you decide to stop seeing each other?”

“Just a few hours ago, actually. He told me he still feels too guilty about Maria.” 

“Oh, Leo…,” Meg sighed to herself, shaking her head sadly before looking back at Frey. “I was friends with Maria, you know.”

“I never thought about it, but that makes sense. Leo’s worked with you for about five years, right?”

“Yeah, so I knew Maria for two,” she replied, nursing her beer. The taste was becoming more tolerable over time. “She was, like, the exact opposite of Leo.”

“So… quiet and reserved?” Frey guessed.

“Both of those things, as well as painfully sweet and intelligent. Leo’s smart, too, but she was on another level.” She sighed again, remembering the devastated look on Leon’s face when he told her Maria had passed. “Her death broke him almost completely. We were all so worried about him for a year afterward, and then he started to gradually act like himself again, but he’d do really self-destructive things. He still does, sometimes, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“Yeah… to be honest, I thought maybe I could help him.”

“I think you have been helping him, actually, in a lot of ways. I haven’t seen him this stable since… well, I guess since before she died.”

“Really?” Frey seemed doubtful.

“Really,” she repeated thoughtfully, tapping her chin. “I hope he comes to his senses and realizes he can’t live under the shadow of her death forever. Maria would have wanted him to be happy and move on with his life. Surely he must know that...”

* * *

Doug thought his hand would never stop tingling, even after Dylas separated their fingers--had he sensed hesitation?--and held the front door open. The taller man's amber eyes looked pensive before he glanced away, obviously attempting to conceal his blush behind the collar of his jacket.

Meg's cozy entryway was welcoming as he removed his coat and hung it up. He could hear raucous laughter floating down the hallway from the living room, and unsurprisingly, the loudest voice was Leon's. There was no telling what he had just started, and Doug hoped he wouldn't notice them walk in.

Dylas was tentative, too, peeking around the doorway to assess the situation. The serious expression on his face made Doug laugh under his breath. It was pretty funny how scared everyone was of Leon when this holiday rolled around.

"What are you waiting for, Dylas? I already got you earlier, so you're safe!" the Halloween tyrant called from the living room.

"How the hell did he see me?" Dylas muttered, shaking his head with irritation as he surrendered and joined the others.

Doug knew there was no point in trying to hide, so he strode into the room with as much confidence as he could muster. Leon's eyes immediately flickered with mischief as he zeroed in on him and crossed the room with purpose, handing him a beer. It was like he had anticipated his arrival.

"An apology in advance, which I don't often do, so consider yourself lucky." His expression was cunning, alarmingly so.

"Somehow an apology from you isn't the least bit comforting." He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, accepting the beer and taking a gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sighed. "Well, let's get this over with. Dare."

"That's my boy." Leon grinned and clapped him on the back, nearly causing him to spit his second swig of beer, and then he cupped a hand over his ear and leaned in.

Doug's eyes immediately grew as wide as saucers and he thumped himself on the chest, sputtering. "Say that again?"

"You heard me correctly. Now go! Onward to destiny." Leon clinked their bottles together and drank.

"Or more likely, my death." Doug cringed and downed the remainder of his beer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leon is such a damn troublemaker and I love him for it. I'll let you all speculate about what he dared Doug~ XD


	14. Interference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s getting kinda crazy in here. Wanna go somewhere else for a second?” he asked quietly when he sidled up to Dylas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Making out is described. Sex is just mentioned.
> 
> THANK YOU KLEFEKI/KIWI FOR TALKING TO ME ABOUT DOUG IN ALL CAPS AT 2AM
> 
> All I gotta say about this chapter is... BAM!

"Okay, here goes." Meg giggled and stumbled slightly as they left the kitchen.

"Take it easy, Meg," Frey tittered nervously, placing her hand on the small of her back in case she lost her balance.

Arthur was sitting on the couch next to Leon and Kiel, dressed in intricate robes that made him resemble a mage. It seemed they were having a very involved conversation, each of them nursing a beer. Frey wondered how long it was going to take for someone to either fall asleep or get hurt, but everyone seemed to be pacing themselves--well, maybe except for Meg. 

The blonde clumsily straightened her dress and smoothed her hair as she approached the trio, managing not to stumble again, and Leon's mouth tilted up in a triumphant smirk. He was obviously pleased with his little setup, excited to sit back and watch the outcome. He looked even more amused when he caught Frey's gaze and she rolled her eyes at him.

Frey was tense with secondhand embarrassment as Meg stood, swaying, in front of Arthur. He stared up at her through his glasses, wearing a perplexed expression, and then suddenly Meg practically tumbled into his lap with a startled yelp. Everyone else in the room abruptly quieted and turned their heads to see what the commotion was.

Arthur's mouth fell open and he quickly grabbed Meg as she began to slide down his legs, dissolving into a fit of giggles as she nearly toppled over. She threw her arms around his neck to anchor herself, much to the bespectacled man's shock, and he seemed to be having trouble deciding where to place his hands.

Leon, sitting next to them, could no longer contain his laughter and practically doubled over. Kiel seemed to have been waiting for Leon to laugh first because he slapped his hand over his mouth and chuckled, looking amazed by the scene unfolding in front of him. Their reactions caused Meg to start laughing again, too, and Frey couldn't resist joining in along with the rest of the room's occupants.

Realization seemed to dawn on Arthur's face as he gradually recovered from the surprise, and he laughed uneasily while adjusting his glasses. He was still supporting Meg with his other arm and a blush spread across his cheeks when she turned her head to look at him.

"Hi, Arthur," she tittered cheerfully, causing Leon to suppress another chuckle.

"Hi, Meg." Arthur smiled pleasantly. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"L-Leo made me," she stuttered, attempting to point in his general direction.

"I thought that might be the case," he replied, shooting Leon a sidelong glance. "Did you have to get your nerve up with a bit of liquid courage?"

"Just a little bit," she hiccuped, holding tighter to his neck. "I wanted to, but I was n-nervous."

"Oh." Arthur's blush renewed itself and he regarded Meg amiably. "Well, let's make sure you don't get sick. Have you eaten anything?"

"Umm, I can't really remember," she slurred, looking a bit wobbly.

"She did," Forte interjected, walking over and grasping Meg's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get some water and crackers, just in case."

"But I'm comfortable," Meg pouted, resisting.

"Yeah, Forte, she's comfortable," Leon added with a lopsided grin.

"I think Arthur might want his lap back." Forte glowered at Leon and carefully unwound Meg's arms from the blond man's neck, who looked relieved to be free of the awkward situation.

"Fine," Meg relented, allowing Forte to help her to her feet. "Oh, but let me say g-goodbye to Arthur first."

"Meg--" Forte grabbed for her but it was too late.

She planted a lingering kiss near the corner of Arthur's mouth before he could react, and something between a gasp and a sigh escaped his lips. Now his eyes were blown wide and he placed his hands on her shoulders to gently hold her back.

"Margaret, um--why don't we revisit this when you're sober?" Arthur sounded like the epitome of a gentleman.

"Okay. Bye, Arthur." Meg hiccuped again, somehow managing to do so daintily, and finally turned away.

"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have let her drink so much," Frey whispered as Meg shuffled away, humming to herself as Forte supported her. "I didn't realize that she's such a lightweight."

"It was her own choice, Frey, so don't blame yourself. And this whole situation is certainly more Leon's fault than yours," Arthur said cordially.

"I didn't anticipate her drinking half of her body weight in beer," Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "Your reaction was even better than I expected, though. That's one for the books."

"Glad to have exceeded your expectations," Arthur replied sarcastically. When Frey was out of earshot, following Meg and Forte back into the kitchen, he continued. "So, another round of truth, Leon?"

"Of course. I still only ever answer 'truth' to you every year." Leon sipped his beer and waited intently.

"Good. Now, since you interfered with my love life, I'm going to interfere with yours." Arthur smiled widely.

* * *

Doug had no idea how he was going to pull this off.

He watched Dylas wander aimlessly about the room, stopping only when someone acknowledged him, and he would talk for a moment before excusing himself and moving on. He was probably feeling overwhelmed from the abundance of socialization already and Doug thought it might be the perfect time to rescue him, in a sense.

“It’s getting kinda crazy in here. Wanna go somewhere else for a second?” he asked quietly when he sidled up to Dylas.

Dylas hesitated only briefly before answering him with an imperceptible nod, and then he followed him through the tightly knit crowd. They walked back through the entryway, finding an empty sitting room on the other side, and they placed their empty beer bottles on the coffee table before glancing uncertainly at one another.

Doug searched his eyes, noticing a touch of nervousness, but he didn’t appear agitated at all. His purple hair was splayed across his shoulders in glossy waves, maybe his most alluring feature, and he found himself longing to run his fingers through it. He moved closer and peered up at Dylas’ questioning expression. He drew a deep, bolstering breath.

“All right, I’m just gonna do it.”

“Do what?”

Doug grasped Dylas’ tense shoulders and rose up on his tiptoes, cheeks tinged scarlet as he threw caution to the wind and firmly pecked the taller man’s supple lips. The current of energy that sparked between them startled Doug so thoroughly that he stumbled as his heels returned to the floor, releasing Dylas and gazing up at him with hopeful silver eyes.

“Wha-what the fuck are you thinking?”

Dylas’ smoldering amber eyes pinned him down, staring at him so fiercely that he could hardly breathe, and then suddenly there was no space left between them. Their mouths smashed together painfully--the kind of pain that made him yearn for more--and the only reason he could still stand was because Dylas was holding him so securely. One of his large hands was clutching the back of his shirt and the other had seized the nape of his neck, and he was having to lean down a substantial amount in order to meet his lips.

Doug struggled to match his intensity, still reeling, and he clung to his slim waist with one hand while the other tangled in his long silken hair. He tilted his head to the side opposite Dylas’, sealing their mouths impossibly tighter together, and the sensation of his tongue fervently stroking his own made him tremble. He felt, more than heard, the passionate groan that vibrated in Dylas’ chest as he returned his kiss for all it was worth.

Eventually they broke apart--panting, red-faced, lips swollen--and gazed at each other in bewilderment. Dylas’ eyes were wild with an unnamed emotion that Doug only recalled seeing once, on the night that he still refused to speak of. His lavender hair was disheveled in the way he remembered, too, and he couldn’t help but wonder if that memory was destined to be repeated.

“Dylas…”

“W-wait… don’t say anything.”

“Huh?”

“I need to say something first...”

Dylas held his hand to his chin and pressed his lips together thoughtfully, his eyes drifting aimlessly across the floor. When he raised his head again, his expression was no less conflicted, but he appeared to have worked out what he wanted to say. Doug waited impatiently and with bated breath, certain that he looked desperate for a response.

“Earlier, you were going to ask me why we slept together last year and I pretended like it didn’t happen… right?” His voice was strained, like he had to squeeze the words out.

When Doug subtly nodded, Dylas exhaled gradually and rubbed the side of his reddened face. Doug kept expecting him to lash out defensively, but he didn’t, and there was something akin to guilt in the taller man’s eyes.

“I was… scared,” Dylas finally managed, sounding less guarded than Doug was used to.

“Scared? Of me?!” He raised his eyebrows in surprise. That wasn’t at all the response he had anticipated.

“Not scared  _ of  _ you, pebble brain.” The corner of Dylas’ mouth lifted only slightly, but his smile reached his eyes. “Scared of feeling so vulnerable, I guess.”

“All this time… why didn’t you just talk to me instead of avoiding me?” He threw his hands up with exasperation.

“I took the easy way out.” Dylas’ lips expelled a quick burst of air as he sighed heavily. “The truth is… goddamnit, I can’t say it.”

“Just say it already!” Doug exclaimed, clenching his fists. The next words welled up in his chest before he even considered the outcome. If he held back any longer, his thundering heart was going to burst out of his chest. “Don’t you know that I love you, you moron?!”

“Y-you…” Dylas’ voice quivered as his amber eyes widened drastically. He looked stunned. “Why in the hell would you pick me?”

“I mean, why wouldn’t I?” He flashed his best, brightest smile, ignoring his trembling lower lip.

“I’m not good with words, for one thing.”

“You’re good enough with them that I can understand you!”

“I’m impulsive… I don’t think about the consequences before I do anything.”

“Right! You always keep me guessing.”

“Why are you trying to make all of my shortcomings sound positive?!” Dylas growled, clenching his fists.

“Because… didn’t you hear me before? Do you want me to say it again?” He felt heat burn his cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck apprehensively. “Actually, I think I used up all of my courage the last time.”

“A-are you sure you meant what you said?” Dylas stuttered, struggling to meet his eyes.

“Of course I’m sure! I wouldn’t just say that.” Doug took a tentative step toward him, like he was a wild animal ready to bolt. “What were you going to say, earlier? Before my outburst.”

Dylas blushed heavily and met his eyes with effort, furrowing his brows and shifting his weight restlessly. “Dammit… I l-love you, too! You idiot.”

“Was the ‘idiot’ at the end really necessary?” Doug asked with a stupefied grin, unable to resist shortening the distance between them. He could scarcely believe his ears and he searched Dylas’ face for any sign of regret.

“You called me a moron, first!” Dylas shouted, shaking his head derisively, but then the hint of a smile graced his lips. He finally faced him completely again, anxiously rubbing the side of his own neck as he gazed down at Doug with an expression of longing.

“It’s not so bad being an idiot and a moron, as long as we’re an idiot and a moron together,” the redhead responded with a wide smile.

“I guess we’ll find out.”

Doug stood on his tiptoes again, winding his arms around Dylas’ neck this time, or at least attempting to--his hands scarcely reached the back of his neck. Dylas chuckled softly, which was music to his ears, as he leaned down to brush their lips together.

“You’re going to have to start carrying a step stool around with you,” Dylas teased, wrapping his long arms around Doug’s narrow waist.

“What was that?!” Doug snapped his head back and gasped, blushing hotly. “You’ve been working with Leon for way too long.”

Dylas rewarded him with a rare smile, briefly revealing his teeth before picking up where he had left off. Doug returned the smile against Dylas’ lips, reveling in his touch--infinitely more gentle, this time--and clutching the nape of his neck. His mouth was warm, soft, and pliant; he had forgotten how tender his kiss could be.

For once, Leon’s dare had actually benefited him. As they returned to the party, he felt immensely grateful to his mischievous friend, even if this wasn’t the outcome he planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you're all thinking... FUCKING FINALLY. Go on. You can say it.


	15. Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What happens now?” she whispered, her breath puffing against his mostly bare chest. She was shaking slightly and he rubbed her back in an attempt to reassure her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Smut! But I put massive tags around it that you can't possibly ignore. Read until "explicit content starts" and then scroll (quickly lol) down to "explicit content ends" and it's safe to read from there. There's important fluffy dialogue that you won't want to miss!
> 
> I have updated every day for three days in a row now, holy crap! I write like crazy at night when I can't sleep.

He led Frey upstairs to one of Meg's spare bedrooms, choosing the one at the end of the hall where they were least likely to be disturbed. He wasn't sure how long this was going to take.

The small room was sparsely decorated, probably because it wasn't stayed in very often. There was a couch against one wall and a twin sized bed against another, but no additional furniture except for a mirror.

"I wanted to ask you earlier, but what's the story behind your costume?" She tilted her head curiously as he closed the door behind them.

"Maria actually made it for me, years ago. I never felt like wearing it until now. It seemed like a waste not to."

"It definitely suits you." She smiled and tentatively ran her finger along a row of stitches. "She did a great job. She must have been an amazing seamstress."

"She was. Always creating something." He averted his thoughts before he stumbled too deeply into the endless void of remembrance. "And you? What are you supposed to be, a warrior princess?"

"That's basically what I was going for. I wanted to be cute but still tough, I guess." She giggled and shrugged her delicate shoulders. "It's made up of a few pieces I randomly collected over the years."

"Well, you definitely succeeded in the cuteness department," he grinned, admiring her openly.

"I thought Forte was the cute one." She crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow playfully. "At least that's what you said earlier."

"I was just messing with her." He was surprised to feel his cheeks burn and he glanced off to one side. "You're the one who actually distracted me."

"Are you blushing?" she teased, moving closer and gazing up at him. "You are!"

"No way." He scrubbed his hands over his face like he could erase it. "My cheeks just turn red when I drink."

"Funny that they weren't red until just now, though." She was grinning knowingly at him.

"Hush, you," he growled, frowning. "Stop looking at me."

She giggled and stepped backward, giving him some space. "So… what did Arthur dare you to do?"

"Actually, I picked truth."

"Truth? I thought you were more of a dare type of guy."

"I usually am, but Arthur has a way of making me confront my demons, so I'm always curious about what he'll ask."

"Oh?" She tilted her head to the side questioningly again, a gesture he always found adorable.

"This year it's a little different, though. He asked me to tell _you_ the truth."

"Me?" she squeaked. "About what?"

He chuckled softly. "Everything, more or less."

"Wait… so Arthur knows about us?"

"He put two and two together. We spend a great deal of time together at work, and he's a perceptive guy."

"So he wants you to tell me everything, huh? That seems like a tall order..."

"It is, but… I feel compelled to tell you, anyway. I just needed a push."

"Okay," she breathed, "I'm listening."

“So…" He hesitated, trying to decide where to begin. "For the past few years, I’ve been seeking comfort anywhere I could find it. I keep trying to fill the gaping hole in my chest with things that only serve to make me feel more hollow inside."

He removed his elaborate turban, placing it on the couch and running his hands through his long cyan hair. Admitting all of this, as well as finding the words to express it, was going to be more painful than he had anticipated. With considerable difficulty, he continued speaking as he paced the carpeted floor. 

"Whether it was sleeping around, drinking excessively, drugs--all of that just made it worse, and I know if Maria could see me, she would be disappointed... to say the least. I was weak and allowed my grief to transform me."

He glanced over at her and she stayed silent, appearing to be listening intently without judgement, and her lovely eyes were full of concern. He had already made it this far, so he decided he may as well unleash the rest of it. He expelled a shuddering breath.

“Of course I know I can never replace her, nor would I want to… but every time I start seeing someone, it’s like I’m seeking a piece of Maria within them. When I don’t find it, I break things off. I know it’s selfish, but in my defense, I’ve never lied about my intentions. I told every single one of them that I wasn’t ready for any semblance of commitment.”

He stopped pacing and his rigid expression softened when he looked at Frey, who graced him with an encouraging smile. She had the power to make him experience several emotions at once, the most important being a sense of contentment that he hadn't felt since Maria. Merely looking at her refreshed his tired spirit and lent him strength to take on another day. He locked his eyes on hers and took a calming breath before he spoke again, fully aware of the significance of his next statement.

"You and Maria are distinct individuals, and besides your impressive determination and intelligence, you're nothing alike. So it’s not that I’ve discovered a piece of her within you…" He glanced away briefly, trying to gather his scattered thoughts. "It’s that I’ve found something entirely different and separate from her, something I didn’t know I needed."

"Leo…" Her face flushed and she appeared stunned as he regarded her fondly.

“I never had a second thought about ending things with anyone over the past three years… until you. It's only been hours and I'm not sure what to do with myself."

“I don’t know what to say…” Her expression was a mixture of shock and incredulity.

“You don’t have to say anything. I'm just relieved that I told you.” He felt a substantial amount of weight lift from his shoulders, as this had been yet another burden he hadn’t realized he was carrying. Opening up to her had dissolved some of the tension surrounding them. He would have to thank Arthur later.

She remained glued to her spot and he couldn't resist approaching her. He stopped several feet away and searched her eyes, which were gazing expectantly into his, and then she stepped into his arms after a brief moment's hesitation. For the second time that night, he drew enormous comfort from her embrace.

“What happens now?” she whispered, her breath puffing against his mostly bare chest. She was shaking slightly and he rubbed her back in an attempt to reassure her.

“I still don’t know, and I’m aware that’s not a valid answer. I’m terrified to experience that level of loss again, so the thought of ever pursuing another serious relationship is…” He trailed off, unable to find adequate words to express it, and he looked down at the sparkling silver crown decorating her hair.

“You can’t live the rest of your life in fear, Leo.” Her tone was soothing as she raised her head to meet his eyes. “But it must be horrible to face the thought of losing someone again, so... all I know is that I want to stay by your side and help you through this, the best that I can.”

“Even if I can’t give you what you want?” His eyebrows were furrowed as he regarded her with uncertainty.

“Do you even know what I want? You haven't asked.” A hint of a smile was budding upon her glossy lips.

“I suppose I’m just assuming things,” he admitted, "based on what most people seem to want. So tell me, then--what do _you_ want?"

“Just to take things one step at a time. We don’t have to look that far ahead.” She gazed into his eyes earnestly, her affection for him clearly reflected in her expression.

“So you would be content dating me, aware that it might not ever amount to more than that? I don't know if I can fully overcome my guilt about Maria, either." He sighed and took her hands in his, speaking firmly. "I won't ask you to put your life on hold for me. It’s not fair.”

“You’re not asking me to. I’m telling you that, for now, I just want to be with you.” Her eyes bored into his so sincerely that it took him aback, and he found himself unable to look away from her. She didn’t waver, either, squeezing his hands.

“Frey… you’re very persuasive, do you know that?” He lifted a hand to her face, stroking her silky cheek with his thumb, and she leaned into his touch. He suddenly found himself amused that they were having this pivotal conversation while dressed in Halloween costumes, but somehow it felt right.

“I thought that's what you like about me.” The budding smile finally bloomed splendidly across her face, a smile he realized he would go to great lengths to witness.

“One of the many things…,” he purred with a wink.

He leaned down and gradually touched his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly as his hands gently cradled the back of her head. He felt her body relax and melt into his, and she opened her mouth to him, tugging his cyan tresses. He couldn't suppress the throaty groan that welled up in his chest. She fit so seamlessly against him that his senses were overwhelmed by her.

"I missed you," she murmured against his lips before angling her mouth across his again. Her hands kneaded his bare back as she crushed herself into him.

"It's only been a couple of days," he chuckled when they broke for air, reveling in her sweetness. She narrowed her eyes at him before he smirked and added, "But I missed you, too."

* * *

*****EXPLICIT CONTENT STARTS*****

* * *

She seemed pleased with that response because she latched onto his neck, grazing his flesh with her teeth and nipping at his ear. He could feel her breasts flatten against his chest, the familiar softness immediately arousing him.

“Ah, I see you’re fond of using teeth now,” he rasped, clutching her to him, and she made an amused sound as she brushed her lips along the sharp curve of his jaw.

She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach, so he slipped his hands beneath her dress and lifted her by the backs of her thighs, squeezing them harshly--as he knew she liked. She moaned as expected, snuggling her face into the crook of his neck, and he backed up until he bumped into the couch. He sat down with her in his lap and she ardently straddled him, rolling her hips. 

They gasped in unison and she leaned back to look at him, her cheeks tinted a most endearing shade of pink. He anticipated what she was going to ask and he pecked her lips before reaching into the pocket of his pants, producing his wallet.

“Please tell me you have one left,” she breathed.

“Just one. Remind me to restock.”

She hastily stood up and lifted her dress so she could yank down her stockings and underwear, rewarding him with a glimpse of the smooth skin underneath, and he felt himself flush with desire. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood up as his cock hardened, straining against his pants, and he was struck with the urgent need to be deep inside of her.

He could only watch with his mouth agape as she lowered his pants just enough to release his swollen member from its confines, flicking her warm tongue across the tip and causing him to jerk his hips upward. When she brushed her soft lips along his length, he could feel her smile against his skin and he moaned his approval, palming the back of her head.

“Come here, princess,” he pleaded, panting and tugging her mint-colored twintails desperately as she swallowed him. He doubted that she realized she still had her crown on, and he smiled at how cute she looked.

“I forgot about this,” she giggled when she raised her head, confirming his thoughts. She reached up to remove it, but he grasped her wrist and stopped her.

“Leave it on. How many other chances will I have with royalty?” He gazed down at her through his lashes with a mischievous grin.

“You’re ridiculous.” She rolled her sparkling green eyes at him and laughed, but she didn’t remove the crown.

She bestowed one last kiss on the tip of his cock before standing and ripping the condom packet open, smoothing the thin barrier down over his shaft before sitting astride him again. She didn’t spare a second, immediately drawing him into her hot depths, and he rasped out a curse. She was already so wet and slick that he easily penetrated her to the hilt and she moaned ecstatically, digging her nails into his shoulders.

She gyrated her hips and he yanked her top down, kissing the swell of her breasts before unfastening her bra and promptly sucking a pink nipple into his mouth. She hummed in approval and rose to her knees, leaning forward so she could glide herself up and down his length. His eyes drifted shut and he drowned in the sensation of her softness, nuzzling his face against her pert breasts.

“Frey,” he growled hungrily, grabbing her supple hips and tossing his head against the back of the couch. He was seeing stars already, as enthusiastically as she was fucking him, bouncing in his lap with her ass slapping his thighs. He could feel her trembling as she always did when he was hitting her in exactly the right spot.

She chanted his name in urgent whispers, whimpering sweetly, and it was all he could do to resist coming right that second. He grit his teeth and panted, desperately holding on until he heard her telltale gasps. He leaned forward and roughly mouthed her breasts, which triggered an intense chain reaction, and she began to frantically grind her hips against his.

She gasped sharply and cursed, crashing her lips to his when her voice grew too loud, and their bodies shuddered and quaked. Their joined mouths dampened each others’ exuberant moans as her inner walls clenched around him, and he thrust his hips upward in a frenzy as they came together, a quivering tangle of arms and legs. His head lolled back and she slumped against him, panting and pressing lazy kisses along his collarbone.

* * *

*****EXPLICIT CONTENT ENDS*****

* * *

“That was... intense,” he breathed after several moments, dazedly staring up at the ceiling. He lightly traced her spine with his fingertips. 

“Mhm,” she agreed dreamily, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She was still trembling in the aftermath. “I don’t want to move.”

“We’ve been gone for a while, though. I’m surprised no one has come looking for us yet.”

“Ugh, you’re right.” She climbed off of him and stood on wobbly legs, fixing her top and hurrying to dress herself. "And your absence is especially noticeable."

“I won't argue with that." He watched her pull on her stockings, admiring her shapely legs. "What do you want to tell them when they inevitably ask where we were?” 

“We went to have a long heart to heart chat? I mean, it’s mostly true.” She smoothed her hair and adjusted her crown in the mirror.

“Yeah, they’ll definitely buy that,” he chuckled as he gathered his belongings. "And I just realized I haven't asked _you_ , yet, of all people--truth or dare?"

"I'm feeling daring," she giggled, meeting his eyes with a fearless grin.

"Then I dare you to hold my hand when we go downstairs, so everyone will know you're mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did y'all get whiplash from how quickly Leon and Frey got back on track? Ugh they're so cute I can't. Thanks for reading~


	16. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Good morning," Doug chirped before wincing in pain. "Damn. How much did we drink last night?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Nothing explicit, but sex is heavily implied. I didn't put tags around it because it's such a tiny section and it's not very descriptive.
> 
> Special thanks: Writing channel on the RF discord as usual!
> 
> This is just a fun, fluffy chapter.

Dylas was accustomed to waking up alone, but this morning, as he regained consciousness, something felt drastically different--namely the slight weight atop his chest. He was disoriented at first, rubbing his aching temples, and then the previous night came flooding back. His eyes shot open to see a shock of red hair just below his chin, as well as a slender arm slung over his waist. 

He was confused again, this time by his surroundings, until he remembered they had stayed at Meg’s. He and Doug had celebrated their new relationship a little too much and, as a result, neither of them had been fit to drive. Although he couldn't remember exactly how the previous night had ended, both of them were fully clothed, so apparently they had fallen into bed and promptly passed out.

He did remember that everyone had seemed excited, even ecstatic, about the abrupt turn their relationship had taken. He had a feeling that they had all been trying to orchestrate something behind the scenes for quite some time, based on the near constant feeling of being watched at the bar. He was annoyed and embarrassed by their meddling, but at the same time, he appreciated their support--not that he would ever admit it.

Doug began to stir and Dylas could feel him inhale deeply as he gradually awoke. His pulse quickened as the redhead rolled over and gazed down at him, looking disoriented before recognition dawned in his large silver eyes. The content smile that graced his countenance, then, was one that Dylas immediately committed to memory.

"Good morning," Doug chirped before wincing in pain. "Damn. How much did we drink last night?"

"Enough," Dylas answered simply, reaching up to tenderly stroke his cheek with the back of his hand. Showing affection felt strange in some ways because he was so used to bickering and camouflaging his true feelings, but it also felt right.

Doug blushed lightly and leaned his cheek into his palm, briefly closing his eyes. "When I woke up, I thought last night was a dream."

"I did, too." He felt a blush warm his cheeks, as well, but he managed to keep himself from glancing away completely. "I… I'm glad it wasn't."

"Dylas…" Doug's expression was passionately sincere.

Dylas swallowed thickly, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation in his chest. He wondered if he could get used to feeling this way… or more importantly, allow himself to. It was still difficult to accept that Doug loved him exactly as he was, flaws and all.

"I'm just curious… did you honestly not realize I loved you all this time?" Doug continued, raising his eyebrows inquisitively. "Were you that oblivious?"

"I told you… I thought I wasn't good enough for you," he replied with some difficulty, his voice gruff. "So I didn't really let myself consider it."

"But why did you think I came to the bar every Friday and ordered the same thing? I always waited around to see you." Doug grinned brightly.

"I don't know. Because I make really good tempura?" Dylas shrugged. 

"Are you serious? You thought that was the only reason?" The redhead looked like he was trying to contain his laughter.

"I'm not good at these things!" Dylas growled defensively, scowling.

"I'm going to have to school you on it, then," Doug chuckled, sitting up next to him. "What do you say we get cleaned up and go on a date?"

"A date..." He trailed off uncertainly.

"Don't tell me you've never been on one!" Doug's tone was incredulous.

"Of course I have!" He felt himself bristle out of embarrassment, then sighed. "It's been a while."

"I'm surprised. You're a handsome guy." Doug rubbed the back of his neck and beamed.

"Handsome?" Dylas' tone was doubtful.

"Do you prefer hot? Sexy?" Doug grinned widely, leaning toward him.

"Neither!" He hid the lower half of his face with his hand, looking away.

There was a light but abrupt knock at the door and they both turned their heads toward it. Meg's voice called out to them. "I just wanted to let you two know that I made breakfast, if you want some!"

"Thanks! We'll be down in a minute!" Doug shouted in reply.

"Take your time," Meg giggled before her footsteps retreated down the hallway.

A peal of laughter could be heard from the guest bedroom adjacent to theirs and Dylas recognized it as Frey’s voice. “Sounds like Frey and Leon are awake, too.”

“And apparently Leon is already up to his tricks,” Doug laughed, sliding off of the bed and extending his hand. “Come on. Let’s go eat. I’m freaking starving.”

* * *

Frey awoke surrounded by warmth, but she had a pounding headache, and she squinted as she opened her eyes. A single beam of sunlight was streaming through the window, managing to penetrate the closed blinds, and it sharpened the pain. She squeezed her eyelids shut again and briefly wondered what time it was before deciding that she didn’t care.

She rolled over in Leon's arms and hid her face against his broad chest. He reflexively tightened his embrace and she smiled to herself, snuggling into him. She hadn't woken up alongside him since the first and only time, the night of the snowstorm, and she savored the moment in case it proved to be rare. The bed was so small that they had been forced to squeeze in tight, which neither of them minded.

His chest was rising and falling steadily, giving the impression that he was still asleep. She hoped that, when he woke up, he wouldn't be regretful. After their conversation the night before, he had seemed happy for the rest of the night--even after they retreated back to Meg’s guest room and he held her following another round of passion. He had worn a serene expression as he slept, in stark contrast to the ones she had witnessed before.

She propped herself up on her elbow to quietly observe him. He was lying on his right side with one arm stretched out in front of him--which she had been using as a pillow--and the other was draped around her waist. His long straight hair was mostly tied back at the nape of his neck, besides a few tendrils that had fallen loose, and she gingerly tucked them behind his ear. When he still didn’t flinch, she idly traced his dragon tattoo with her fingertip.

His striking blue eyes snapped open so abruptly that it took her a second to register and she squeaked, thoroughly startled. His handsome face was expressionless and he was as still as a statue, making him impossible to read as his eyes bored into hers. She froze, preparing to stutter out an apology, when the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

“Are you done staring at me yet? I know it must be difficult not to.” He regarded her with half lidded eyes and a coquettish grin, making her blush.

“Geez, you scared me!” She slapped him lightly on the arm, which seemed to further amuse him. “How long were you awake?”

“Ever since you started squirming around. You’re so affectionate when you think I’m not conscious,” he purred.

“And you’re eerily good at pretending to be asleep.” She rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin up on her hands. “Ugh, my head hurts."

"Mine, too. Let's just stay in bed." He repositioned the pillow and closed his eyes. “I asked Lin Fa to take the dogs out for me last night and this morning.”

"Wow, I didn't realize you could be so lazy," she teased, poking his shoulder.

"It's perfectly acceptable to be slothful every once in a while."

"I guess you're right. I'm starving, though, and we can’t just sleep at Meg’s house all day." 

"Feel free to go find some breakfast." He blindly reached out and patted the top of her head. "And bring some back for me."

"You wish," she laughed, pinching his arm, and his azure eyes reopened.

"Hmm… I have an idea." His tone was impish as he sat up and leaned his back against the headboard, eyes brimming with mischief.

"Uh-oh. I'm afraid to ask." She nibbled her lip and watched him expectantly as she sat up, too, and the bed sheets pooled around her waist.

"You distracted me and now I've forgotten," he drawled, stroking her bare skin and causing her to blush. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, right--let's play a game. Whoever surrenders first has to get out of bed."

"Surrenders to wha--" she started to ask, but she dissolved into laughter as his fingers attacked her sides, tickling her relentlessly.

She shrieked and hastily retaliated, rising to her knees to try and gain the advantage. She roughly tickled him under his arms and was rewarded with a burst of laughter, but he quickly knocked her over and pinned one of her hands to the mattress. He changed his focus to the side of her abdomen just above her hip.

Squirming and short of breath from giggling so much, she used her free hand to tickle his ribs. He chuckled and quickly snatched that hand, too, trapping it above her head alongside the other one. They stared at each other breathlessly.

His demeanor changed instantly and he lowered his mouth to her stomach, brushing his lips across the sensitive skin there, and she yelped. He made an amused sound and showed no signs of stopping as she writhed around beneath him.

"That doesn't seem fair," she gasped, biting back a moan as he nibbled her hip.

"I don't remember establishing any rules," he chuckled, dropping his head lower.

"Mm. I'm sore," she whimpered, but she eagerly spread her legs wider anyway, tangling her fingers in his hair.

"I'll be gentle."

Some time later, they were no closer to getting out of bed and he collapsed on top of her. She welcomed his weight, enjoying the intimacy and affection.

"I think that counted as your surrender," she breathed, rubbing his back.

"Mm-mm. You were first," he mumbled against her neck.

"But you started it! And I thought the loser was whoever succumbed to _tickling_ first."

"I never said that. You made an assumption."

"You really are the worst," she sighed. "As cunning as a fox."

* * *

“Did everyone sleep well?” Meg asked as the five of them sat around the kitchen table. They all looked pretty worse for wear, dressed in yesterday’s clothing with mussed hair and bleary eyes.

“Moderately well. Frey only knocked me off of that tiny bed twice in her sleep.” Leon smirked at her and raised a forkful of eggs to his mouth.

“I did not!” she exclaimed, nudging him with her elbow. She lifted her coffee mug to her lips before suddenly appearing unsure. “...Did I?”

“You have no idea how animated you are when you’re asleep, and that’s putting it nicely,” he chuckled, baiting her.

“Hmph. Maybe if you didn’t take up so much space, you wouldn’t fall off.”

“Funny, you never complained about my size before,” he replied suggestively, glancing at her with a smug expression.

“Leo!” she gasped after nearly spitting hot coffee. “Geez.”

Doug laughed, happily eating his breakfast as he watched the amusing scene unfold, and Dylas just shook his head in annoyance. They were sitting side by side opposite Frey and Leon, glancing at each other fondly ever so often.

“Leo, quit embarrassing her!” Meg exclaimed, glaring at him over the rim of her mug. “You’re lucky she puts up with you.”

“I suppose I am,” he sighed, ruffling Frey’s hair. She had just taken a bite of toast and she glowered at him as she chewed.

“So the only ones who ended up staying over are you four,” Meg commented with a smile, changing the subject. “You had lots to celebrate, huh?”

“Yep!” Doug responded, covering his mouth as he yawned. “We might have celebrated a little too much.”

“Even I agree with that. It’s going to take the rest of the weekend to recover from this hangover, and we still have to work tonight." Leon yawned, too, leaning back in his chair.

“I think I’m going to try and sleep until then,” Meg groaned, rubbing her forehead.

“Bunch of lightweights. I feel fine.” Dylas finally spoke up, the hint of a smile upon his lips.

“Are you sure about that? The circles under your eyes are as dark as mine.” Leon’s tone was skeptical as he stared at him.

“Nothing a little hair of the dog won’t fix,” Doug said with a grin.

“I don’t think I have a drop of anything left,” Meg laughed. “You guys weren’t messing around.”

“Wow, no wonder we're all so miserable.” Frey sighed wearily and rubbed her eyes.

"It was worth it, though. Operation Carrot was finally a success," Leon said with satisfaction.

"What's Operation Carrot?" Doug asked with a raised eyebrow, glancing over at Dylas.

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Dylas added suspiciously, narrowing his amber eyes.

"Well…" Meg and Frey attempted to diffuse the situation at the same time, but Leon spoke over them.

"Exactly what it sounds like." Leon winked and casually sipped his coffee.

"Leon…," Dylas growled, leaning forward over the table.

"It worked out in your favor, didn't it?" Leon eyed the pair expectantly.

"Can't really argue with that," Doug replied hesitantly, scratching the back of his head.

"But did you have to name it--" Dylas couldn't even bring himself to repeat it, blushing hotly. " _That_?!"

“Yes... we absolutely did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now I can move the plot (ha, like I have a plot) forward. My new goal is to make this one a solid 20 chapters and call it quits... before it gets any more ridiculous.


End file.
